The 27th Janadriya National Festival for Heritage and Culture began Wednesday amid glittering festivities. The festival at Janadriya Village, some 43 km outside the capital, was inaugurated by King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, in the presence of South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, whose country is the guest of honor this year, King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa of Bahrain, senior princes and civil and military officials. King Hamad said the festival reminds the people of their deep-rooted past. “We came today to share with the Saudi people and the leadership the joy of this festival. GCC countries are going through important advancements, which entails that all leaderships and people should think deeply about how to meet the requirements of these advancements,” he said. “This is why King Abdullah called for a (GCC) union. We fully support the initiative and seek to achieve it.” The festival has been a link among people and a vital bridge for ideas and exchange of experience. It is not only about traditions and heritage but also about modernity. In previous festivals, there were many cultural and intellectual seminars that focused on important issues for the future. Earlier, Abdulmohsen Bin Abdulaziz Al-Tuwaijri, Assistant Deputy Commander of the National Guard and Deputy Chairman of the festival's high organizing committee, said the festival has always been an expression of the national unity of Saudi society. It is also an expression of the intimate relations that connect the Kingdom with the Arab and Muslim world. The festival has maintained the heritage and traditions of society while it is also open to other cultures and human civilizations, he stressed. The festival includes traditional activities, camel races, arts and crafts exhibits, and folk dances as well as poetry readings. The South Korean pavilion features Korean culture, history and tradition. It also has a time tunnel that illustrates the exchange of history between Korea and the Arab World from the past to the present.
