KSA - The 12th edition of the Souk Okaz got underway in the City of Taif, under the patronage of Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud.
Saudi King’s Advisor and Mecca Governor Prince Khalid Al-Faisal officially opened the iconic festival, being supervised by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH).
The opening ceremony featured theatrical and cultural performances showcasing the rich cultural traditions of the region, including poetry and music, prepared by Prince Badr bin Abdul Muhsin and featuring experienced Saudi actors and singers.
The 2018 Souk Okaz awards were also distributed to winners. The Okaz International Award for Literature was won by Nasser bin Saad Al-Rasheed, and the Okaz International Prize for Arabic Poetry went to Jassem Mohammed Al-Saheeh from Saudi Arabia. Both awards came with a prize of SR 300,000 ($80,000).
The award for writing an Arabic script for a narrative work was given to Mohammed Ahmed Mohamed Naghi from Egypt, who also received an SR100,000 prize.
In the artistic category of the Okaz International Arabic Calligraphy Award, first place went to Abdul Majid Mohammed Al-Ahdal from Yemen, who received SR40,000, second place to Saud Shaker Khan from Saudi Arabia (SR25,000), and third to Mohammed Abdullah Abu Naji from Jordan (SR15,000). In the authenticity category of the calligraphy awards, Bilal Mokhtar Attiya from Egypt took first prize, with fellow Egyptian Ahmed Adel Mohamed Amin second.
Okaz Fine Art Award was conferred on Tamer Mohammad Ibrahim Ribat from Saudi Arabia, who received SR 50,000, with Saleh Salih Al-Shehri, also from Saudi, in second place (SR30,000), and Rasha Mohammed Siddiq from Myanmar third (SR 20,000).
Dr. Fares Bin Dabbas Al-Swailem from Saudi Arabia received the Okaz Innovation Award and its prize of SR 100,000.
The Okaz Business Leadership Award, also worth SR 100,000, went to Majid Mohammad Fayez from Saudi Arabia.
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