The Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) has exhorted craftsmen and artisans to participate in the Souk Okaz Prize for Handicrafts and Craftsmanship. The Commission has distributed 5,000 forms in all the handicraft and artisanship centers in the Kingdom seeking participation in the event. Saeed Bin Awad Al-Qahtani, supervisor of Handicrafts and Craftsmanship at the SCTA, said all the necessary arrangements have been made for the launch of the Okaz Prize announced by Prince Sultan Bin Salman Bin Abdul Aziz, chief of the SCTA. Al-Qahtani said all those selected to take part in the event will be informed well in advance. “Enough time will be given to all the participants,” he said. The first prize is meant to develop and market handicraft products and create opportunities for cooperation among craftsmen to exchange their experience. Earlier, addressing a press conference on the sidelines of the Travel and Saudi Tourism Investment Forum 2010 here, Prince Sultan announced that the Higher Committee of Souk Okaz Festival in Taif chaired by Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Emir of Makkah, has approved the launching of the Souk Okaz Handicrafts Prize.
