Saudi Arabia's Diriyah Celebrates Eid Al-Adha with Cultural Performances, Festivities

DGDA announced the celebration of Eid Al-Adha with various artistic and cultural events. SPA
DGDA announced the celebration of Eid Al-Adha with various artistic and cultural events. SPA
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Saudi Arabia's Diriyah Celebrates Eid Al-Adha with Cultural Performances, Festivities

DGDA announced the celebration of Eid Al-Adha with various artistic and cultural events. SPA
DGDA announced the celebration of Eid Al-Adha with various artistic and cultural events. SPA

The Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) has announced the celebration of Eid Al-Adha with various artistic and cultural events designed to entertain and delight residents and visitors.

The celebrations are taking place in iconic locations around Diriyah, including At-Turaif district and Bujairi Terrace.

The festivities commenced on the first day of Eid and will continue for four days, DGDA said in a statement. Engaging live performances, such as the traditional Al-Ardha and Al-Samari and interactive shows in At-Turaif, will ensure entertainment for all who attend and invite everyone to participate in the celebration.

Highlights of the celebration will include Arabian horse shows, Henna, and candy distribution via roaming classic cars, all of which will add to the celebratory spirit, it said.

According to the statement, DGDA will distribute 25,000 cash gifts (Eidiya) and 10,000 Eid chocolate gifts to families and visitors.

DGDA will host events in three parks, each featuring ten pavilions that showcase Diriyah's cultural legacy.

Bujairi Terrace will be a focal point of the celebrations, hosting a variety of cultural events, live musical performances, and art installations. Visitors will have the opportunity to engage in the traditional art of drawing on pottery cups adorned with Najdi inscriptions, and the immersive 'Diriyah Calligrapher' experience will offer a glimpse into the rich cultural heritage of Diriyah.

Diriyah's celebrations, during Eid and other significant occasions, have consistently drawn thousands of visitors from within the Kingdom and beyond. "These programs, rooted in Diriyah's rich culture and heritage, offer unforgettable experiences that leave a lasting impression on all who attend," the statement said.



British Museum Explores ‘Silk Roads’ Trade Routes in New Exhibition

People walk in front of the British Museum in London, Britain, on September 28, 2023. (Reuters)
People walk in front of the British Museum in London, Britain, on September 28, 2023. (Reuters)
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British Museum Explores ‘Silk Roads’ Trade Routes in New Exhibition

People walk in front of the British Museum in London, Britain, on September 28, 2023. (Reuters)
People walk in front of the British Museum in London, Britain, on September 28, 2023. (Reuters)

A new exhibition exploring the vast network of the Silk Road trade routes opens at the British Museum in London this week.

Showcasing a range of artifacts including Chinese ceramics, Byzantine jewellery and the earliest known group of chess pieces, "Silk Roads" focuses specifically on the period AD 500 to 1,000, amid the rise of different empires and religions.

"This exhibition is presenting a rather different vision of the Silk Road than some people might be expecting... Rather than a single trade route between east and west, we are showing the Silk Roads plural... as a series of overlapping networks that link communities across Asia, Africa and Europe," exhibition co-curator Sue Brunning told Reuters.

"We're showing that it was not just silk and spices... but also people, objects and ideas moving sometimes great distances, not just by land, but also by sea and river and exchanges taking place in all contexts."

Highlights include loans from central Asia such as a large mural found in the reception hall of an aristocratic house in Samarkand, Uzbekistan and a gilded silver cup from the Galloway Hoard, on loan from the National Museums Scotland.

"Silk Roads" opens on Thursday and runs until February.