Jeddah - Zawiya 97, a new cultural hub for handicrafts in Historic Jeddah, located next to Nassif House, combines heritage with contemporary creativity as part of the Year of Handicrafts 2025 initiative and serves as an interactive platform for local and international artisans to showcase their work. Throughout July and...
After DJs and raves, Saudi Arabia pushes home-grown culture
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- First, deeply religious Saudi Arabia opened its doors to Western raves and music festivals. Now it's turning to long-neglected Saudi traditions as it seeks to draw tourists and reshape its national identity. In "Terhal", a lavish stage show in Riyadh, an actor in a red-and-white headdress...With poetry and chants, Omanis strive to preserve ancient language
Against the backdrop of southern Oman's lush mountains, men in traditional attire chant ancient poems in an ancient language, fighting to keep alive a spoken tradition used by just two percent of the population.
In the heart of Beirut, one family upholds a unique dessert tradition
Beirut, Lebanon - At a shop nestled in a busy, crowded Beirut district, Hasan El-Makary is weighing out containers of warm, fragrant mufataka, a traditional sweet in the Lebanese capital that is rarely found in stores. "I've been in this shop for 50 years, but we started specialising in mufataka 30...Ramadan drives MENA online shopping boom, UAE takes the lead
As Eid Al-Fitr approaches, online shopping is expected to reach new heights, with anticipated growth in categories like flowers, cakes, sweets sets, and themed gift hampers.
As Iraq concrete jungle swelters, ancient stone houses stay cool
Tracing its roots back 2,700 years, the picturesque Kurdish town of Akre says it is better adapted to the modern-day perils of climate change than other parts of Iraq. "Stone houses are far more resistant" to the rising temperatures and also preserve the town's unique character, said Mayor Baland Reda...Israeli researchers find opium residue in 3,500-year-old pottery
Researchers examined whether they had served as containers for the drug, which earlier writing had suggested was used in burial rituals in Canaan, and found "opium residue in eight vessels", the researchers said in a statement. These were likely "placed in graves for ceremonial meals, rites and rituals performed by...
Struggling Libyan potters showcase wares online
The Libyan city of Gharyan sculpted a reputation for ceramics generations ago, but fragile demand is forcing potters to seek new markets on Instagram and Facebook. Muayyad al-Shabani didn't even start out in the craft. He earned a physics degree but struggled to find a job in a country whose...
‘Arabic’ coffee renamed ‘Saudi’ coffee in the kingdom
The renaming is seen as the assertion of a cultural element that expresses the Saudi identity and reflects the people's relation with coffee and the tradition of its preparation and serving.
Qatar hopes to attract 1.2 million World Cup visitors
Organizers of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar hope to attract 1.2 million tourists to the Gulf country, an official said, hosting them in traditional hotels and "innovative" accommodation.
