TAIF — A number of diplomats and other foreign dignitaries visited the ongoing Souk Okaz festival at Al-Arfa Historic Souk area of Taif on Thursday. Accompanied by members of the organizing team and a number of officials from the Taif governorate, the guests toured various pavilions at the festival. They were briefed on different types of heritage products being featured at the festival and watched performances of folklore troupes. The diplomats expressed their admiration for good organization, praised culture programs and hailed the support that the province extends to such festivals to preserve the historic souq, which served as a meeting place for tribal leaders and people interested in poetry and literature. The visitors were impressed by the organization of the Souq Okaz festival and wished further progress and prosperity for the people of Taif. The visitors also stopped at the Souq Okaz public theater, located in the heart of the historic souk and watched "Jadah Okaz" produced by Saudi filmmaker Mamdouh Salem. The visiting diplomats included British Consul General Mohammed Shokat, French Consul General Hicham Baba Ahmed, Deputy Consul General of Morocco Abdulaziz Ziha, Nepal Consul General Rewati Raman Poudel and Abdulaziz Aiashi, consul general of Yemen.
