The National Culture & Heritage festival (Al-Janadria) opens its doors today, Thursday, for receiving its visitors during its 29th session which shall lasts until the 28th of the present month of Rabiul-Awal. Like it had always been, the festival is bringing more glamour for the big number of visitors who have been waiting it for long time while festival land has become used to their continuous massive visits. It is worth mentioning that the State of United Arab Emirates is attending the festival of this year as a guest. During the last 28 years representing the duration cycle of the festival, Ministry of National Guards has been able to provide the most beautiful heritage picture on a land of 2 million square meter area representing the heritage of the Saudi citizens since the unification of the homeland by the founder & establisher King Abdul Aziz Bin Abdul Rahman Bin Saoud, God's mercy be upon him, until the time of Custodian of the two holy Mosques King Abdulla Bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saoud, may God preserve him. The start of this cultural wedding has launched on 1405 Hijri and kept going on after that with a new shape and a distinctive vision behind which His Royal Highness Prince Meteb Bin Abdulla Bin Abdul Aziz, Minister of National Guards & Chairman of the Higher Committee of National Heritage & Culture Festival stands. Thus, The festival has annually been presenting various models of participations, ideas and visions that reflected the state's care for developing the activities of this cultural and heritage activity together with upgrading its civilization concept until the present year of 1435 Hijri. Al-Hejen (Young slim camels) Race is one of the basic activities of Al-Janadria Festival that has developed along the years from being a simple traditional competition to a strong sports competition regarded as one of the best attracting sports for the Gulf youth in general and the Saudi youth in particular. The participants of this race are about 1200 participants in all stages. The annual increase of the participants is estimated to be about 10% annually through the Hejen "slim camels" coming from the Arabian Peninsula, the hybrid Hejen or the Sudanese Hejen. Over the past 28 years, Al-Janadria land has been witnessing the visits of millions of heritage lovers, seekers of discovering the ancient handicraft which have reached about 300 ones and people interested in popular arts types presented by more than 20 local teams. Moreover, visitors can have a look at the exhibits of more than 60 governmental and private authorities and entities, the heritage participations from GCC countries and the various artistic presentations which shows the deep cultural message reflecting the twinkling past and the glamorous present. Culturally, the festival organized about 100 lectures, 265 cultural symposiums, 73 poetic sessions I which more than 5300 of authors and intellectuals who came from and out of the Kingdom participated. Moreover, More than 400 books presenting the Kingdom's history and great ancient heritage have been printed and distributed among the visitors for free, in addition to expressing the various activities of Al-Janadria Festival in an informative educational newsletter issued daily from Festival's land to keep the follower updated with the various details of the event.
