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Jeddah - Yasmine El Tohamy - JEDDAH: The Saudi Ministry of Culture is to stage the Tarafa bin Al-Abd Festival from Nov. 16 to 24 in Al-Ahsa.

The event aims to highlight the life, career, and works of the poet and is part of the Arab Poetry Path initiative launched by the ministry to celebrate the symbols of Arabic poetry and the significance of the seven odes, which represent the best of early Arabic literature.

Al-Abd, a sixth-century poet from the Bakr tribe, was one of the seven renowned poets featured in the ancient Arabic poetry anthology.

The festival will include a range of cultural activities and events to portray the life of the poet and his famous works.

It will feature a theatrical presentation about Al-Abd, and a Poet’s Theater area where visitors will be able to participate in poetry evenings and attend scientific seminars on topics related to his poetry and life.

The festival will also include live musical performances by Saudi bands playing and singing Al-Abd’s poems. An artisan area will showcase handmade crafts and works by Al-Ahsa locals, and market areas will offer other activities.

In addition, the festival will hold workshops on poetry recitation, poem writing, and artistic portrayals of the poet, alongside other interactive activities.

There will be a dedicated children’s area combining fun activities with educational sessions, all aimed at enhancing artistic skills and simplifying traditional arts.

And a space for local cuisine will allow visitors to meet chefs and taste traditional dishes tied to the heritage of the Eastern Province, especially Al-Ahsa, and using local ingredients such as dates and Hassawi rice.

The Ministry of Culture launched the Arab Poetry Path project in 2021 to celebrate Arabic poetry symbols and the cultural importance of poetry and poets in the Kingdom’s history. The initiative strives to present Saudi Arabia’s rich cultural heritage through modern, technology driven creative expressions.