Events celebrating Saudi Souq Okaz festival kick off on Wednesday

Events are planned across the country to accompany the Souq Okaz festival. (AFP)
Updated 19 June 2018
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Events celebrating Saudi Souq Okaz festival kick off on Wednesday

  • Makkah will host a show creatively presenting the historical convoys of trade souqs
  • Riyadh and the Eastern Province will be hosting heritage and cultural events such as a show that presents the story of buying and selling in Souq Okaz and encourages people to visit the souq’s events

JEDDAH: Events accompanying Souq Okaz that promote the market and invite people to visit its cultural and heritage activities will kick off on Wednesday, under the patronage of King Salman. The Souq is organized by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH) and will run June 27 to July 13.

Makkah will host the event of “The Historical Convoys of Thi Al-Mejna and Thi Al-Mijaz Souqs,” a show creatively presenting the historical convoys of trade souqs. These convoys show the method traders adopted to beat travel exhaustion and entertain themselves as they would sing about Souq Okaz and invite people to visit it.

Madinah will host the event “Let’s go to Souq Okaz,” which will encourage people to attend the cultural and heritage events. This event includes activities such as folk shows and interactive, innovative and heritage competitions.

Jeddah will host several cultural seminars focusing on the history of the souq as well as poetry readings and a theatrical show that represents the story of buying and selling in Souq Okaz.

Riyadh and the Eastern Province will be hosting heritage and cultural events such as a show that presents the story of buying and selling in Souq Okaz and encourages people to visit the souq’s events.

Taif will host “Souq Okaz for Performance Arts,” an event that includes heritage and cultural performance activities that reflect the souq’s identity in Al-Hada, Shifa and Ar-Rudaf Park. 

The events accompanying the souq this year will be launched on Friday in Al-Baha and many archaeological sites in the provinces of Al-Mikhwat, Al-Qura and Al-Mandaq.

The events include the camel convoy, horse shows, traditional folk and dancing shows, artifacts, Saudi traditional dishes and the introduction of some popular traditional and historical souqs in the regions.


‘Kingdom is on a path toward the light,’ says US Senator Graham after meeting Prince Khalid bin Salman

Updated 5 sec ago
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‘Kingdom is on a path toward the light,’ says US Senator Graham after meeting Prince Khalid bin Salman

DUBAI: US Senator Lindsey Graham believes Saudi Arabia is on ‘a path toward the light’, in a statement he issued after meeting with Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, who is on an official visit to Washington.

“My engagement with Saudi Arabia over the past two days has given me a sense of confidence that the Kingdom – while it has its own interests – is on a path toward the light, not the darkness,” the senator said in his statement.

The senator also said he was looking forward to visiting Saudi Arabia soon.

 

 

“Over the years, I have developed a strong working relationship with Saudi Arabia. I know President Trump is a strong admirer of the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. I have seen the changes the Crown Prince has embraced and I have been impressed,” Graham said.

The US senator added that after meeting with Prince Khalid, and Saudi foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan earlier, “I am convinced that Saudi Arabia believes the best thing for the region is economic growth and prosperity.”

“Saudi Arabia wants to be a destination of choice in the future, so that people around the world to come visit what I think is an incredible country. Saudi Arabia wants to be one of the dominant forces in Al, which means the best and brightest minds will come. I am convinced that this is still the goal of the Crown Prince and the Kingdom.”

Graham also expressed appreciation to what the Kingdom was trying to do in Syria.

“They have openly said they are the friend of both the Syrian government and the Kurdish people. The attitude of seeking compromise rather than destruction, hopefully, will win the day,” the senator said in his statement.

Prince Khalid is expected to discuss Saudi-US ties and ways to strengthen during his visit, and earlier met with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.