Qemam International Festival for Mountain Performance Arts will be held from January 20 to January 27

The third annual Qemam International Festival for Mountain Performance Arts will get off on January 20 in the Asir area and run through January 27. 45 local and foreign organisations practicing 40 different performing arts from Saudi Arabia and throughout the world will be included in the event. The event is being organised by the Theatre and Performing Arts Commission, displaying the beauty of traditional arts.

Highlights of the festival this year include two parades along Prince Sultan Road in Khamis Mushayt, where twenty Saudi performing arts groups from seven regions of the Kingdom will perform alongside twenty-five international groups dressed in costumes inspired by mountains. The opening and closing ceremonies of the festival will take place at the King Khalid University Theatre in Abha.

The Abha Literary Club's varied cultural programme will also feature interactive lectures and workshops on traditional mountain vocations, arts, and attire. Additionally, visitors will have the opportunity to discover more about regional creative endeavours including traditional Sadu weaving and local sculpture. The festival's objectives are to attract in foreign performing arts groups from mountainous areas, increase public knowledge of mountain arts and customs, and advance the Asir region's culture by generating employment opportunities in the theatre and performing arts industries.

Eight historically significant heritage sites, namely Al-Qabel Market, Shamsan Castle, Ben Adwan Heritage Village, Malik Palace, Al-Mushayt Palace, Al-Abu Sarah Palaces, Abu Noghta Al-Mathami Castles, and Bin Hamsan Village, will host daily traditional performing arts performances and exhibitions. Furthermore, Asir's cultural legacy will be reflected via souvenir gift stores and traditional cuisine and craft markets.

The event will also have seminars and craft activities for younger attendees, as well as a photo booth where kids may pose for pictures while donning traditional mountain attire. A strategic objective of the Saudi Vision 2030 national development and diversification strategy, the festival is in keeping with the Ministry of Culture's commitment to promoting worldwide cultural exchanges, according to the Theatre and Performing Arts Commission.