Located in the Red Sea city of Jeddah, one of Saudi Arabia’s most prominent museums has been a favorite of locals and tourists for years. Situated in the downtown district of the city, the Abdul Raouf Khalil museum, which houses a number of items that date back millions of years, is now giving Jeddawis one more reason to be celebrated, as it has decided to open its doors until the 24th of April to visitors of the Jeddah Global Village, Saudi Arabia’s first multicultural festival, as reported by Arab News.
Organized by Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, the global village is located near Al-Tayebat International City, in Al-Faisaliah. According to the event’s organizers, approximately 50 countries have confirmed their participation, five from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), 10 from the Arab world, 18 from Africa, 10 from Europe, and four from the Americas. The event’s organizers are expecting a staggering one million visitors by the close of the festival.
The Abdul Raouf Khalil Museum is housed in a building that showcases a unique form of old Saudi architecture, in which wooden carvings especially doors and windows were a prominent feature on most buildings. Inside its walls are a mosque, the facade of a citadel, a section on Saudi Arabian Heritage, another on Islamic Heritage, and even one on World Heritage. According to the news site, the museum also holds a large collection of items and artifacts belonging to the Ottoman Turks and the fishermen tribes who reportedly were the first inhabitants of the region.
Suzan Eskander, the director general of International Image, the company organizing the Jeddah Global Village event, explained that as part of the event, performers “will be dressed in traditional costumes. Visitors can also enjoy dishes and traditional products from each of the different countries.”
