JEDDAH: Mini thobes and Bedouin dresses specific to different parts of Saudi Arabia decorated the auditorium at the King Abdulaziz Cultural Center on Tuesday.
The event was one of six organized by Jeddah Municipality in Abruq Ar Rughamah to mark the country's inaugural Founding Day.
Abruq Ar Raghamah is an important historical area located on the eastern side of Jeddah as, on the last leg of King Abdulaziz’s mission to unify the nation, the city became the last to join under his rule.
(AN photo by Huda Bashatah)
The peaceful transition took place in 1925 at the site of Abruq Ar Rughamah right on the outskirts of the city’s walls where he earned allegiance from the people of Hejaz.
According to Jeddah Municipality, the site has gained widespread fame because of its association with a prominent moment in the Kingdom’s history.
Sawasan and Noha Abdullah, two sisters sitting in the center auditorium’s front row, said they were proud to celebrate Saudi Arabia’s Founding Day because it gave them the chance to show the world the “authenticity and antiquity” of their traditional clothes.
(AN photo by Huda Bashatah)
They showed up to the event proudly dressed in their Najdi (central region) traditional attire representing the Gahtan Najd tribe. Their outfits included a sparkly and stylish golden burqa they had inherited from their grandmothers, a deep pink dress, and an abaya with golden trim.
Besnat Al-Harthi, 11, said she was aware of social media models’ fashion trends but was keen to learn about the past.
“We need this type of awareness for us - the new generation - because we don't know much about heritage and such. Everyone is just following trends set by social media models,” she told Arab News. “My generation needs to learn about our heritage, the way we dressed and the way we lived.”
(AN photo by Huda Bashatah)
She also said that events like the one being held at the center would help people to understand the differences between two important public holidays.
“I think Founding Day awareness is so important because people get mixed up between National Day and Founding Day as well.”
Factory production worker Anwar Bakri, 21, said the showcasing of the Kingdom’s diverse heritage was what she liked most about the event.
“We unearthed so much about our heritage. Jazan is one of them - which is where I’m from - and this is such a beautiful thing,” she told Arab News.
(AN photo by Huda Bashatah)
As well as its place in the history of Saudi Arabia’s foundation, Abruq Ar Rughamah represents an important connecting point between Makkah and Madinah as it used to be a caravan route heading from Jeddah to Makkah before the Kingdom’s unification.
Road maps issued by the Ministry of Transport show that the site of Abruq Ar Rughamah leads to roads that connect directly to seven countries: Yemen, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, Iraq, and Kuwait.
The King Abdulaziz Cultural Center was established to host visitors from inside and outside the country.
It includes a large theater for cultural and educational events, exhibitions, conferences, and seminars.
