Saudi Culinary Arts Commission Announces 4th Edition of Feast Food Festival

File photo of Saudi flag/Asharq Al-Awsat
File photo of Saudi flag/Asharq Al-Awsat
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Saudi Culinary Arts Commission Announces 4th Edition of Feast Food Festival

File photo of Saudi flag/Asharq Al-Awsat
File photo of Saudi flag/Asharq Al-Awsat

The Saudi Culinary Arts Commission is organizing the fourth edition of the Saudi Feast Food Festival, which will take place at Abadi Aljohar Theater in Jeddah from November 27 to December 6. This event marks a significant celebration of Saudi Arabia's rich culinary heritage.
According to a statement issued by the Culinary Arts Commission, the festival aims to showcase Saudi cuisine to local, regional, and international audiences, positioning the Kingdom as a global culinary destination. Through unique tasting experiences and authentic dining environments, the event will create sustainable opportunities for Saudi Arabia's food sector while offering visitors an innovative journey through traditional Saudi dishes, SPA reported.
The statement said that the festival will feature a diverse array of activities and events across seven main zones. The Culinary Heritage Zone will allow visitors to sample iconic ingredients and recipes from restaurants representing various regions of the Kingdom. The Competition Zone will host cooking contests featuring national and regional Saudi dishes, while a dedicated Children's Zone will provide young participants the opportunity to prepare simple dishes under specialist supervision using local ingredients.
Other highlights include the Educational Zone, which will host workshops, and a dedicated space for gift shops and cookbook sales. A key feature of this year's festival is a special zone dedicated to the Year of the Camel 2024 initiative, showcasing camels and their products while emphasizing their deep-rooted cultural significance.
The Saudi Feast Food Festival serves as a premier knowledge hub, aligning with the Saudi Culinary Arts Commission's mission to celebrate and promote Saudi cuisine as cultural heritage. In addition to highlighting local culinary arts, the festival offers Saudi chefs a platform to showcase their expertise while providing educational content to the public.
The event also brings together entrepreneurs, international and local chefs, restaurant experts, farmers, and industry enthusiasts, fostering educational, commercial, and investment opportunities. As the largest culinary event in the Middle East, the festival seeks to build an integrated community by connecting stakeholders and creating opportunities across the culinary sector.
Through the Saudi Culinary Arts Commission, the festival underscores Saudi Arabia's commitment to preserving and developing its cultural heritage. It empowers young Saudi talents to transform their culinary passions into successful ventures, contributing to a sustainable and creative economy.



US Embassy to Yemen Announces 2 Initiatives to Preserve the Country's Cultural Heritage

The historic Al-Qahira Castle in Taiz. Photo: X
The historic Al-Qahira Castle in Taiz. Photo: X
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US Embassy to Yemen Announces 2 Initiatives to Preserve the Country's Cultural Heritage

The historic Al-Qahira Castle in Taiz. Photo: X
The historic Al-Qahira Castle in Taiz. Photo: X

The US Embassy to Yemen has announced two significant initiatives dedicated to preserving and restoring Yemen’s invaluable cultural heritage.

The Embassy said in a statement that in partnership with the Yemeni Ministry of Culture, it launched a significant restoration project for the historic Al-Qahira Castle in Taiz.

Funded by the US Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP), the initiative will focus on the restoration of key areas and the reconstruction of its museum destroyed during the conflict, said the statement.

Al-Qahira Castle, a landmark of Yemen’s rich cultural history, stands as a testament to the nation’s resilience and heritage.

“This castle is not just a monument; it is a symbol of Yemen’s rich and diverse history and cultural resilience. Preserving Al-Qahira Castle ensures that future generations of Yemenis will have access to their shared history and heritage,” said US Ambassador Steven Fagin.

Fagin also emphasized the collaborative spirit behind this project: “I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the Ministry of Culture, our committed implementing partners, the local community in Taiz who have shown tremendous cooperation and enthusiasm in this preservation effort.”

The US Mission, with support from the Cultural Property Agreement Implementation Grant (CPAIG), also launched a project aimed at preventing the illicit trafficking of Yemeni cultural heritage, said the statement.

“The initiative, in collaboration with the Yemeni Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Interior, will help establish a specialized law enforcement unit dedicated to combatting illegal cultural property trafficking,” it said.

“The project will provide capacity-building programs, enhance regional and international cooperation, and foster local community engagement through educational campaigns and public outreach,” it added.

Fagin said the project underscores America’s shared commitment to preserving Yemen’s cultural heritage for future generations. “We are honored to work alongside the Yemeni government in this vital effort to protect Yemen’s historical and cultural identity.”

Accoridng to the Embassy statement, the initiative builds on the US-Yemen Cultural Property Agreement signed in August 2023, which enforces US import restrictions on Yemeni cultural materials, further solidifying bilateral cooperation in heritage preservation.

“Both initiatives highlight the crucial role of cultural heritage in Yemen’s social and economic fabric and the global importance of preserving the country’s rich historical legacy,” it said, vowing to remain “steadfast in its commitment to protecting and promoting Yemen’s cultural treasures for the benefit of future generations.”