Culture & Education | Saturday 7 April, 2018 3:33 am |

The closing ceremony of the Makkah Cultural Forum was held on April 5 at King Abdullah Sports City and under the patronage of Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, governor of Makkah, who attended the event. 

The theme was “How to be a role model.”
The forum was an initiative in line with the comprehensive Vision 2030. 

The ceremony included a huge number of attendees in the closed hall of Al-Jawhara Stadium, which is also nicknamed The Shining Jewel, in Arabic or simply The Jewel. Entrance was free for all families. 
The melodies of Hijazi folklore attracted a large number of visitors, and many traditional Hijazi dances were performed.

The forum’s aim was to build humanity in the Makkah region. 
It also followed a strategy that prioritizes the importance of building a strong Saudi man who is able to improve his homeland and the civilization of his country.

What distinguishes the Makkah Cultural Forum is its adoption of an annual theme from which events, activities and programs draw their spirit and identity. The theme of this year’s forum was: “How to be a role model” — the role model in society who enhances its concept and leads its people to become better versions of themselves.

Areej Ibrahim, professor of English and comparative literature at Effat University, told Arab News: “This is my second year attending the closing ceremony of ‘How to be a role model.’ It is a very good cultural move as I can see women are filling the stadium. However, the fact that the country is promoting events of such value is proof of its strong steps to fulfill the Vision of 2030.”

She added: “Values do not always have to be didactic and give people advice in a moral way. Values can be instilled in people by art, fun and cultural gathering.”

The ceremony was closed by an orchestra performance that enchanted the audience. Mamdouh Saif, an international Saudi composer and music producer who has collaborated with some of the most prominent singers in the Gulf, was accompanied by 25 musicians.