The Saudi Ministry of Culture has held a ceremony in Laysen Valley, Riyadh, to celebrate the successful conclusion of the Year of the Camel initiative.
Key partners who contributed significantly to achieving the cultural year's objectives were honored at Saturday’s ceremony, which started with a captivating visual presentation of Alheda'a, an oral polyphonic expression accompanied by gestures or musical instruments played by herders to communicate with their camels, recently inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, followed by a visual presentation summarizing the achievements of the Year of the Camel and highlighting the collaborative efforts of the ministry and its partners from the public, private, and non-profit sectors.
The ceremony marked the culmination of a three-day closing activities of the festival organized by the Ministry of Culture, which featured an array of events and activities celebrating camels and their significance in Saudi culture that attracted a large and enthusiastic audience.
The Ministry launched the Year of the Camel initiative earlier this year to celebrate the camel as a cornerstone of Saudi cultural identity. Throughout the year, numerous cultural events and activities were organized both domestically and internationally, celebrating camels and the rich cultural heritage they represent.