King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, opened the 24th National Festival for Heritage and Culture Wednesday at Janadriya Village, some 43 kilometers north of Riyadh. Welcoming the King, Prince General Mit'eb Bin Abdullah, Assistant Deputy Commander of the National Guard and Deputy Chairman of the festival's Supreme Organizing Committee, said the festival was a pillar of the country's renaissance. He said Janadriya has turned to be a symbol for the unity of this country, the pillars of which were erected by the late King Abdul Aziz Bin Abdul Rahman. Prince Mite'b Bin Abdullah confirmed that the festival has achieved its role in preserving the identity of this country amid changing international winds because it was based on values and principles emanating from our religion and culture. He cited the call of King Abdullah for rapprochement, tolerance and co-existence of different peoples, civilizations and cultures which resulted in the Makkah, Madrid and New York conferences for dialogue among followers of religions and those belonging to different civilizations. The opening ceremony hosted readings by renowned poets Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Bin Edrees and General Khalaf Al-Otaibi, and the performance of the operetta “Watan Al-Shomoos” (Home of Suns). The work, performed by some 1,000 participants, took an overview of Arab history from the beginning of the first Hijri century to the 13th, with scenes symbolizing the ascent and descent of the Muslim nation. It then moved on to address the history of Saudi Arabia through the reigns of its monarchs while honoring important figures in the unification of the Kingdom. The festival started with a grand camel race in which some 600 contestants participated. King Abdullah handed over the prizes to the first five winners of the camel race. The theme of this year's Janadriya Festival is “The Cause of Islam and Dialogue of Cultures.” Bahraini King Sheikh Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa and Aleksandr Alekseyevich Avdeyev, Russian Minister of Culture, who led the Russian delegation as guest of honor for this year Janadriya Festival, members of the royal family, dignitaries and invited guests were among those present on the opening ceremony. Minister of State and member of Cabinet Dr. Abdulaziz Bin Abdullah Al-Khuwaiter was honored as Saudi Cultural Personality of the Year.
