Souk Okaz fair: Culture at its best

JEDDAH: Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal opened the fourth annual Souk Okaz fair on Tuesday night on behalf of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah. The five-day event is a replica of the pre-Islamic fair that used to take place in Al-Arfa area of Taif. The event, before Islam, used to be frequented by poets who would gather to recite Arabic poetry. The best of these poems would then be hung on the wall of the Kaaba and included seven famous ones known as the “Saba'a Muallaqat,” which are still taught to students of Arabic literature.

The fair’s opening ceremony on Tuesday was attended by members of the Souk's Higher Supervisory Committee, which includes Minister of Education Prince Faisal bin Abdullah, Chairman of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities Prince Sultan bin Salman and Minister of Culture and Information Dr. Abdul Aziz Khoja.

Prince Khaled and his accompanying delegation toured the Souk following the opening. The market includes sections in which handmade products are on display, traditional dishes are being served and Arabic prose and poetry recited. The market also includes a theater, camels and horses, folk dances, an antiques exhibition, tents, and rock canvases containing verses from famous poems.

Prince Khaled, who is chairman of the supervisory committee, also laid the foundation stone for a tent that is to be built on an area of around 4,000 sq. meters by the Binladin Group at a cost of SR36 million. The giant tent will include a large hall that will be able to accommodate over 3,000 people.

Prizes worth over SR970,000 were distributed to seven winners of a poetry competition during the opening.

The main prize went to Lebanese poet Shawki Bazia, while the young poet prize went to Naji bin Ali Harabah of Saudi Arabia. Prizes for photography, painting and Arabic calligraphy were also handed out.

A play titled “Tarafa bin Al-Abid” will be shown every night for five days. The play is about a famous Arab poet whose odes were included in the “Saba'a Muallaqat.” Seminars and poetry readings have also been scheduled to take place at the fair.

Prince Khaled earlier opened a number of development projects implemented by the Taif Investment and Tourism Company.

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