King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud receiving King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Kingdom of Bahrain, and other representatives of GCC leaders in Southern Siahed.

King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud attended today the closing ceremony of King Abdulaziz Festival for Camels held in Southern Siahed in Dahana Desert which is about 140 kilometers northeast of Riyadh.

The ceremony was attended by King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Kingdom of Bahrain; Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Crown Prince of Kuwait, Sheikh Nahyan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of Board of Trustees of Zayed Foundation for Humanitarian Works and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Sports Council in the UAE, Sheikh Joa’n bin Hamad Al Thani, Chairman of Qatari Olympic Committee, and Sheikh Saad bin Mohammed Al-Saadi, Omani Minister of Sports Affairs.

During the festival, King Salman launched the Saudi village for camels in the Siahed region.

The location was for centuries a meeting point for camel caravans arriving from all points on the Arabian peninsula, carrying goods and trading animals.

Historic place

The region itself has an important place in the history and was the base for the followers of Saudi Arabia’s founder, King Abdul Aziz, during his campaign to unify the country about 85 years ago.

The competition at the King Abdulaziz Festival for Camels, often referred to as ‘Miss Camel’ globally, is an annual heritage festival held in Rimah, a governorate in Riyadh province. It was founded in 1999 by a group of local Bedouins who decided to host a competition for the most beautiful camel.

There are about 30,000 camels and more than 1,300 owners from across the GCC taking part in the festival.

The competition went on to receive support from the Saudi royal family.

Due to its rising popularity, it was turned into a heritage festival with people from across the Gulf traveling to showcase their finest camels.

Celebrating the culture and way of life of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Bedouin traditions, today the festival attracts thousands of camels and their owners.

The largest such event in the region is held from March 19, and according to the organizers, has brought than 30,000 visitors.

The festival included initiatives to raise awareness and celebrate core regional cultural and heritage practices. The organizers will also utilize the latest in technology and creative concepts to offer a memorable and fun-filled festival, not be missed by friends and family anywhere in the world.