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JEDDAH: Ahead of Saudi National Day, the walkways of Jeddah’s old district, Al-Balad, are buzzing with visitors, as many are choosing the city’s popular historical landmark to enjoy the festivities.
The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Al-Balad has been transformed for the occasion with flags and National Day decor and, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, a series of cultural activities rooted in Saudi history, including traditional performances, will be held.
Al-Sharbatly Cultural House, in collaboration with Johnson Controls Arabia, presented on Thursday night several entertaining events in celebration of ����ֱ��’s 95th National Day, which comes this year under the theme “Our Pride Lies in Our Nature.”
The engaging two-day event’s celebrations began with a live performance by a band, filling Al-Balad with the rich sounds of Saudi traditional music.
Visitors also had the chance to explore traditional Saudi crafts, such as painting pottery with patterns inspired by the diverse regions of ����ֱ�� and crafting wooden puppets dressed in traditional Saudi attire.
Nada Al-Shehri, who unveiled a stunning National Day artwork at the event, told Arab News that she is proud to showcase her creativity and be part of this celebration.
“It is our duty to express our love to our country in any way we can. I am here to show my string art, which I learned at university, and feel delighted to demonstrate my pride and loyalty to my country through this art,” she said.
Attendees described being deeply moved by the patriotic atmosphere.
Fatima Mohammed, a resident of Jeddah who came out to Al-Balad with her family, told Arab News: “We really enjoyed the performance art parade, family events and kids experiences. I think we will be coming to Al-Balad for the next few days.”
Meanwhile, Abdullah Al-Hamdan, another resident, said it only made sense to come to a setting such as Al-Balad to celebrate ����ֱ��’s National Day, adding that the plethora of entertaining events rendered it even more special.
He said: “You can feel the celebration is filled with pride and patriotism.”
Like others, Hassan Al-Harbi and Mohsen Al-Attass also expressed great enthusiasm at joining the celebration, adding that they spent most of their night touring Al-Balad and enjoying the festive atmosphere.

RIYADH: The fifth annual Hajj Conference and Exhibition will take place in Jeddah in November.

Taking place from Nov. 9-12, it is being organized by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, partnering with the Pilgrim Experience Program, with the theme “From Makkah to the World.”

The event, under the sponsorship of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, follows on from a successful fourth edition, which drew more than 120,000 attendees from around the world. It featured more than 220 exhibitors from 137 nations and generated more than 670 collaborative agreements.

Programming for this year includes over 80 sessions and 60 specialized workshops for academics, researchers, pilgrim services offices, diplomatic representatives and trainees.

King Abdulaziz Foundation (Darah) will contribute significantly through its History of Hajj and the Two Holy Mosques Forum, examining historical and cultural aspects of pilgrimage and the evolution of Islam’s holiest sites. It will explore modern technology applications for documenting and presenting Hajj experiences through interactive digital platforms, advancing public understanding of pilgrimage heritage.

Industries involved include travel, transportation, telecommunications, healthcare, food services, hospitality, technology, insurance, crowd management and logistics. Non-profit organizations will present collaborative initiatives offering innovative solutions for service enhancement and sustainability goals.

The accompanying exhibition will span over 52,000 sq. meters and feature more than 260 exhibitors. An Innovation Zone will bring together 15 startups and entrepreneurs competing across three challenge categories to develop forward-looking Hajj service solutions.

“Ministry officials characterize the conference as a unique global forum for expertise exchange and technology demonstration, facilitating partnerships between government agencies, private companies, and non-profit organizations,” said a statement. “They position it as the world’s only specialized international platform focused on Hajj system development and innovation, promoting cross-sector coordination in serving pilgrims.”

The initiatives align with the Pilgrim Experience Program objectives within Saudi Vision 2030.

Interested parties can learn more and register for the event at www.hajjconfex.com.