The UAE pavilion, organised by the UAE Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, in partnership with the UAE Embassy in Saudi Arabia, has concluded its activities with great success at the 13th edition of Souq Okaz Festival in Taif, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Drawing a crowd of over 700,000 visitors including high-level official visits from His Royal Highness Prince Khalid bin Faisal Al Saud, Governor of Makkah Region and Adviser to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and His Excellency Sheikh Shakhbout bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, UAE Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, to the UAE pavilion. The pavilion highlighted the nation’s history with aspects of Emirati life spanning hundreds of years, including traditional performances, Emirati cuisine, and a variety of traditional skills and handiwork. Over 220 Emirati folk dance performances have taken place with 30 retail stores for visitors to purchase Emirati goods and crafts.
The pavilion was built to exhibit the UAE’s authentic historical architecture. Covering a variety of topics, the UAE pavilion carried out events by 11 performance groups and organisations, catering to audiences all over the region, from cultural to interactive activities. These activities portray the story of authentic Emirati ancient history, featuring the many traditional Emirati practices, a number of which are included in UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Featured performances included displays of traditional handicrafts, Al Harbiya, and Al Yola dance performances, Emirati folk art and traditional popular games.
The festival also incorporated the ‘Emirati Heritage Village’ section, which featured the Majlis, live discussions took place, reflecting on the inspiring stories and values of the country’s founding fathers. To showcase the values of Arabian hospitality, a selection of traditional Emirati cuisine and live Gahwa demonstrations which has been listed under the UNESCO Cultural Heritage list. Gahwa is an integral and celebrated aspect of hospitality in Arab societies and considered a ceremonial act of generosity in the UAE culture.
Commenting on the conclusion of Souq Okaz, HE Noura Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development said: “The UAE’s participation at Souq Okaz Festival highlights the vital importance of cross- cultural exchange between the UAE and KSA. For Emiratis, the values of cultural exchange has been an continuous strength for years. Cultural exchange has been a value nurtured by our UAE Founding father, Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who always believed in the importance of preserving and documenting heritage and promoting dialogue and knowledge exchanges.”
"We are proud of the great success that the pavilion has achieved and the immense engagement with all visitors. The UAE’s Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development will continue to showcase Emirati cultural heritage, in order to establish, support and promote its overall mission towards conserving the unique and authentic heritage, traditions and values of the UAE, as well as position the UAE on the global cultural map.”
The UAE pavilion was organised by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development in partnership with the UAE Embassy in Saudi Arabia.