RIYADH: Life in Saudi Arabia completely changes during Ramadan as nights come alive with the sighting of the crescent.
Traditionally, the holy month always triggers a flurry of religious activities and cultural and entertainment events. Saudi Vision 2030 has given a new impetus to those activities with the public and private sectors regularly coming up with novel ideas.
“Seven Moons” — a month-long event — has gained public attention due to its rich content, high quality, big investment and creativity.
Organizers started from scratch and after three weeks of nonstop work turned deserted land in the north of the Saudi capital city into a colorful story representing the past, present and future.
“Seven Moons” is a story that blends Islamic history, values, cultural concepts and entertainment. The concept was inspired by the significance of the sight of the Ramadan crescent.
Phases of the moon always mean something in the Muslim world. The event has seven moons designed in the shape of domes, a symbol of Islamic architecture throughout the ages. The event not only appeals to Saudis or Muslims, it attracts many non-Muslim expats due to its representation of Islam in a diverse and artistic way.
Arab News met Rayan Rammal, creative director at RTime Creative, and Ibrahim Alwaeli, project manager at RTime Creative, to find out more.
“It is specifically tailored for the holy month of Ramadan; the event is a journey into four main Islamic eras, each represented in a dome. Each dome serves its guests with the cultural environment and cuisine that relates to the period it is representing,” Rayan said.
The story of the “Seven Moons” begins from the first few seconds you look at the entrance gate, which has the design of an open book because what visitors will listen, see and live is an experience of different Islamic ages that only exists in books. The main theme is “the history of Islam.”
The main dome features a great video-mapping show that speaks about all Islamic eras with visual effects to tell stories of people’s lives and show different types of architecture. There are seven videos that speak about different ages. “The 7th Dome (main dome), is located in the center and is the main attraction dome with high-tech 3D mapping projections.
“The six remaining domes shed light on the Rise of Islam (1-41 AH), the Umayyad Period (41-132 AH), the Abbasid Period (132-899 AH), the Andalusian Period (138-422 AH); another dome represents the mosques where people pray the Taraweeh prayer and there is a dome for educational and cultural purposes for children in which there are 15 sections including Islamic studies, science, painting and moral stories,” Rayan said.
The outdoor space is used by Saudi artists, who draw Islamic decorations, calligraphy and arts that blend Islamic ages with the modern age. The event is full of activities that include silent shows, video mapping, storytellers, puppet shows, sand painting and impromptu comedy shows.
“We want to create an event that is beneficial and attractive for Muslims and non-Muslims. It is the time to educate people about our history and culture,” he said.
Ibrahim Alwaeli described the Saudi entertainment market as one that appreciates high-quality events and is ready to accept new ideas.
“The General Entertainment Authority provides unwavering support to innovative ideas,” he said.
The event, which cost about SR15 million ($4 million), was a push for competitiveness in terms of innovation and creativity.
