Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz opened the 23rd Jenadriyah National Festival for Heritage and Culture today. 

After recitations from the Holy Qur’an, the festival kicked off with a traditional camel race.

The weeklong event showcases Saudi Arabia’s rich cultural heritage with exhibits including traditional arts and crafts, poetry, singing and dancing. It is organized each year by the National Guard.

King Abdullah also met today with distinguished guests attending the festival, including King Hamad Al-Khalifa of Bahrain, the heir apparent of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Hamad Al-Nahayan, and Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism Ertuğrul Günay.

In related news, King Abdullah also met with Nelson Ford, Assistant Secretary of the US Army for Financial Management. Ford presented King Abdullah with a certificate marking the 35th anniversary of cooperation between the Saudi National Guard and the US Army.