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Cultural Events Celebrate Saudi Arabia’s Founding Day

The events recall the story of the Kingdom's founding by Imam Mohammed bin Saud in 1727. (Saudi Ministry of Culture)
The events recall the story of the Kingdom's founding by Imam Mohammed bin Saud in 1727. (Saudi Ministry of Culture)
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Cultural Events Celebrate Saudi Arabia’s Founding Day

The events recall the story of the Kingdom's founding by Imam Mohammed bin Saud in 1727. (Saudi Ministry of Culture)
The events recall the story of the Kingdom's founding by Imam Mohammed bin Saud in 1727. (Saudi Ministry of Culture)

The Saudi Ministry of Culture inaugurated on Thursday several events to commemorate the Kingdom's Founding Day, including music concerts that celebrate Saudi Arabia and the early days of its founding.

The events recall the story of the Kingdom's founding by Imam Mohammed bin Saud in 1727 and the heroics that helped build a stable and prosperous country on unified political foundations.

"Founding Nights", which concludes on Friday, features music and poetry that transport the audience on a journey through time to celebrate the Kingdom’s history. It brings together several poets and artists, who will sing popular songs that have resonated with the people for years.

The event was kicked off by artists Fuad Abelwahed and Abdullah al-Mana, who sang a number of national songs. The event also featured poetry readings by Saeed bin Mane and Fahad al-Shahrani.

The second night featured concerts by Majid al-Muhandis and Dalia Mubarak, who sang national songs that captivated the audience. It also included more poetry readings, featuring Suleiman al-Maneh and Abdullah Abyan.

The Ministry of Culture also opened an exhibit, "Path of History", that features several scenes and sculptures that reflect the values embodied in the founding.

The exhibit features 19 "scenes" that highlight significant events that have taken place since the founding in 1727 and until this day.

The Ministry is also organizing a musical concert, "The Symphony of the Beginning", which will be held on Sunday and Monday.

An orchestra will escort the audience on a journey through time to recount how Saudi Arabia was founded. Several celebrated Saudi poets and composers will take part in the event.

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War-damaged Souks Reopen in Syria's Aleppo

People walk along an alley during the reopening of restored bazaars that were damaged during the Syrian conflict in the northern city of Aleppo © - / AFP
People walk along an alley during the reopening of restored bazaars that were damaged during the Syrian conflict in the northern city of Aleppo © - / AFP
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War-damaged Souks Reopen in Syria's Aleppo

People walk along an alley during the reopening of restored bazaars that were damaged during the Syrian conflict in the northern city of Aleppo © - / AFP
People walk along an alley during the reopening of restored bazaars that were damaged during the Syrian conflict in the northern city of Aleppo © - / AFP

Four historic souks in northern Syria's Aleppo, heavily damaged during some of the most intense fighting of the 13-year civil war, reopened this week following their restoration.

"After I reopened my old shop, following the renovation of the market, I felt my spirit return with it," said merchant Omar al-Rawwas, 45, who inherited his family's carpet business at the revived Saqtiya 2 souk.

Once famous for its bustling markets and old citadel, Aleppo's Old City was rendered almost unrecognizable by some of the worst violence in Syria's conflict between government forces and opposition that began after mass protests in 2011.

The fighting in Aleppo, which lasted until 2016 when Damascus recaptured the area with Moscow's support, completely destroyed many of the famed markets in the city previously considered Syria's economic capital.

Four souks in the Old City, restored through combined public and private efforts, reopened Wednesday evening -- drawing officials, residents and charity representatives to the celebration.

"Thank God, things have improved and the country has gotten better," Rawwas told AFP, noting that some of his business is from people returning to Aleppo since calm returned.

"Today, expatriates return from abroad to their homes, finding their rugs damaged by moths. They have them repaired because some of these rugs hold personal memories and others have special value to them."

The revived strip of shops, some reduced to ashes at the start of the conflict, stretches for about 100 metres (330 feet) across the Old City.

In previous years, three other souks of the total of 37 that once surrounded the citadel were restored.

The Saqtiya 2 souk was relatively spared the damage that hit other markets, where restoration work is continuing, albeit slowly, due to the country's economic crisis.

According to UNESCO, as much as 60 percent of Aleppo's Old City was badly damaged in fighting, and of that 30 percent was completely destroyed.

The Syrian army recaptured eastern Aleppo from opposition groups after a siege and heavy bombardment that forced tens of thousands of civilians and fighters to flee.

"In 2012, we fled the souk under bombardment and gunfire. We didn't leave by choice but were forced to," said Abdallah Chawwa, 49, who sells Aleppo's famous olive oil soap.

"I am now back in my shop and my spirit has returned to me."