RIYADH: India will be the guest of honor when a major cultural jamboree,popularly known as Janadriyah National Heritage and Cultural Festival, isinaugurated here on Feb. 7, Arab News has reported.
The festival is part of a major initiative to generate awareness about thehistory and heritage of the Kingdom, as well as to open a window for thenew generation to the vibrant past of Arabia.
“The 18-day-long cultural festival will be held under the patronage of KingSalman at Janadriyah, 42 kilometers northeast of Riyadh,” said Lt. MansourBin Sulaiman Aba Al-Khail, a spokesman of the festival, which is beingorganized by the Ministry of National Guard.
He said that Indian Ambassador Ahmad Javed called on Prince Khalid binAyyaf, minister of National Guard, recently and discussed issues of mutualinterest including preparations for Janadriyah. Deputy Chief of Mission atthe Indian Embassy Suhel Ajaz Khan also attended the meeting.
Commenting on the honor bestowed on India as guest country, Javed said thegesture indicates the prominence given to India by the Saudi leadershipfollowing the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Riyadh in April 2016.
The annual Janadriyah festival, named after the village near Riyadh whereit is held, will showcase camel and horse-racing spectaculars, sworddancing, poetry and music as well as crafts such as carpet-weaving,pottery, costumes and cuisine.
Javed said “the historic visit by late King Saud to India in 1955 and thereciprocal visit by the first prime minister of independent IndiaJawaharlal Nehru to the Kingdom in 1956 laid the strong foundation for ourformal interactions.
“Moreover, the visit of King Salman, as the crown prince, to India in 2014further deepened the relations,” he added.
In Janadriyah this year there will be about 2,000 exhibitors featuring arange of products and services both from the ancient times of Arabia andthe modern world. The festival, according to organizers, is expected todraw about 2.5 million visitors from Saudi Arabia and abroad.