RIYADH: King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, will Wednesday launch the 26th annual National Guards' Heritage and Culture Festival, “Janadriya 26”. Prince Mit'eb Bin Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz, Minister of State and Member of the Council of Ministers and Commander of the National Guard, said the annual patronage of the leadership is an honor for the national guard and all participants. He also valued the participation of states from the Gulf Cooperation Council. He also welcomed Japan as an honorary guest, describing it as a way for people to become acquainted with the culture and heritage of friendly countries. Crafts and folk groups Folk activities are the main component of the festival's heritage village. The Heritage and Folk Arts committee is supervising the pavilions, emirates' buildings and the folk market. The activities include 300 different crafts and folk arts, in which regional emirates are participating with groups of about 20 to 25 members. Asir region's pavilion has completed all preparations prior to receiving visitors. Supervisor of the pavilion, Abdullah Shaher Asiri, said that the main features are all ready, including old houses, the theater and exhibition. The Asir folk groups have also arrived. Asir's group is the largest at the festival with 186 members, he said. Asir will have 375 people participating, with 18 crafts pavilions. A participating Asir craftsman, Mushabbab Al-Shehri from Annamas, said he has only missed one festival. He has been invited by the Asir Emir's Office. He gets SR4,000 as an allowance. Previously he used to be given SR6,000, he said. Sarat Obaida's Hasan Al-Qahtani, said this will be his tenth time. His craft is cobbling, which he inherited from his father and grandfather before him. He practices the craft for a living in a small shop in Sarat Obaida. Misfer Al-Shamrani, who makes appliances out of wood, says he will sell his products during the festival.
