Saudi Arabia to hold a number of events over three days to celebrate the first Founding Day

Cities across Saudi Arabia are set to host the largest traditional cultural show simulating human struggle since the founding of the Saudi state and the development it has gained throughout its luminous history full of achievements.

The show, which will be held from Feb. 22 to 24 to commemorate Founding Day, will present visitors with a cultural celebration of traditional Saudi garments and costumes, and the aroma of traditional Saudi coffee, as the Kingdom’s history unfolds before their eyes, organizers said.

King Salman had issued a royal decree designating Feb. 22 as Founding Day, to recognize the foundation of the First Saudi State in 1727 by Imam Mohammed bin Saud.

In the era of the Saudi state, Diriyah was a meeting point for Hajj and trade caravans coming from outside the Arabian Peninsula, and the area has been renowned since the pre-Islamic era for its different markets that vary in terms of tradition and heritage and in the number of pilgrims, a statement on Saudi Press Agency said on Saturday.

It includes a simulation of the movement of the well-known commercial markets throughout the Kingdom, especially the “Nejnaj, a place where ancient flea markets burst to life.”

The Nejnaj event was divided into five regions (central, eastern, northern, western, and southern), and each region has a gate that includes a mini-art exhibition consisting of old photos from each region showing its ancient heritage and history during the Saudi state. Each region will have actors and narrators telling real stories from the founding period.

The night sky will also light up with a fireworks and drone show on Thursday.

A virtual historical exhibition will be held on Tuesday, whereby students participated by submitting a picture, painting, or a form of expressive writing defining the Founding Day and the historical depth of the Kingdom.

The exhibition is the first and largest virtual exhibition in the world in terms of space, participants and global competition,” SPA reported, adding that it will be managed through a control panel for each participant on the Saudi virtual reality system VRSA, which is the latest global smart Saudi 3D interactive technology in the world.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, a large musical show will be held in Riyadh that will take audiences back to the first days of the Kingdom up until the current time, and highlights the establishment and unification stages of the Kingdom. It also shows its transition to modern life, while preserving the language, religion, customs, traditions and social relations.

The “Founding Day Operetta” aims to celebrate the founder and other historical icons throughout three centuries in a musical led by Mohammed Abdo, Abdul Majeed Abdullah, Rashed Al-Fares, Majed Al-Mohandes, and Dalia.

It was composed by Saham, Nasser Al-Saleh and Nawaf Abdullah, and written by Prince Badr bin Abdul Mohsin, Mohammed Al-Anizi, Naif Saqer, Najla Al-Mahya and Ahmed Alawi.