Janadriyah festival opened

RIYADH: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah inaugurated the 27th National Heritage and Culture Festival at Janadriyah on Wednesday.

The event, 45 km north of the capital, was attended by heads of state, foreign diplomats and thinkers and poets from across the world.

On arrival at the venue, King Abdullah was received by Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, commander of the National Guard and chairman of the supreme committee of the festival, and Abdulmohsen bin Abdulaziz Al-tuwaijri, assistant deputy commander of the National Guard and deputy chairman of the festival's supreme committee.

This year King Abdullah ordered the cancellation of two major events, a musical opera and Ardha dance, as a gesture of Saudi Arabia’s solidarity with the people of Syria, Egypt, Yemen, Libya and Tunisia.

According to a royal decree issued Wednesday, King Abdullah asked the Almighty Allah to bestow mercy on the martyrs and to preserve security and stability of Arab and Islamic countries.

The highlight of this year’s festival is the participation of South Korean President Lee Myung-bak as the guest of honor at the event. His country will showcase a number of exciting culture shows. It will highlight the similarities of two countries in their culture, traditions and values, such as show of respect to the elders and family.

The two-week event opened with a spectacular camel race. “This cultural fair is a realization of our nation’s identity and to feature our values and heritage with a mission to make it known to one and all,” said Prince Miteb at the event.