Saudi youth perform a dance at Janadriya on Friday as the 17-day cultural festival drew to a close. Official estimates of visitors to the 29th edition of the annual festival that began in 1985 was two million. The festival showcased the customs, traditions, crafts, arts, moral values and ethics of the Kingdom and the Arabian Peninsula. Leaders of the Kingdom and other countries, writers, artists and scientists visited the festival where the activities included poetry readings, concerts, singing, exhibitions of books and documents, folk dances, decorative arts, painting, theater, and photography. There was a particular emphasis on women's activities this year including arts and crafts. All women including families of expatriates were allowed to visit the festival between 3.30 P.M. and midnight. Thousands of families braved chilling temperatures to appreciate the diverse Kingdom's heritage. – SG
