Cairo: Saudi Arabia said Sunday it has postponed a heritage festival as part of the kingdom’s precautions to contain the new coronavirus. Locals perform folk shows in the first edition of the Rejal Almaa heritage festival held last year.
The Culture Ministry said that the second edition of the Rejal Al Taeeb Festival, which was due this summer, has been delayed until further notice to protect the health of the visitors, the Saudi news agency reported.
“Postponement comes within the Culture Ministry’s interest in coming up with the level of the festival that reflects historical richness of the region and ensures the continued popular aura, which depends on the presence of visitors and their direct interaction,” the report said.
The festival made its debut in August last year in the ancient Village of Rejal Almaa in the southern Asir region. The event featured a heritage market, folk shows and traditional cuisine and gave visitors a first-hand experience of the region’s distinctive making of floral head loops and necklaces.
This year’s edition was planned to assume a global dimension with the aim of attracting foreign visitors to the village, which stands out among the world’s major heritage sites, the agency said.
Saudi Arabia, keen to attract more foreign tourists, seeks to turn the Village of Rejal Almaa, into a global cultural destination for fans of arts and history from around the world.
