The old house is in fact hosting the “Messengers of Peace” exhibition, organized by Architect Sami Angawi and sponsored by the Minister of Education Prince Faisal bin Abdallah to support the launch of a scouting project bearing the same name. With its 106 rooms disposed along seven floors that are constructed on a rectangular base, the building currently contains an admirable selection of pictures, videos and objects belonging to the historical exhibits' treasure of Angawi’s Al-Makkiyah and Al-Madaniyah Foundation.
The exhibition's ground floor displays rare images of intellectuals and common people from Hijaz that lived at the time of King Abdul Aziz (1876 to 1953), the monarch who established the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (1932). "I could not but start the exhibition by paying homage to Hijaz, the main root of the Islamic world," explained Angawi.
Climbing to the first floor, visitors will find various images related to significant moments of Saudi Arabia's modern history: a unique picture of King Abdul Aziz relaxing on an armchair at Naseef House. At this point, one may have the impression of physically walking through history.
Before turning into a museum and cultural center, Naseef House was in fact the family home of Omar Naseef Efendi, governor of Jeddah and member of a wealthy merchant family where King Abdul Aziz stayed as a guest since he entered Jeddah in December 1925.
When Angawi was asked why the king with a sword is considered a messenger of peace, he promptly answered: "The Western region of Saudi Arabia was not taken by the sword, but thanks to the peaceful cooperation between King Abdul Aziz and the most important families of Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah, the King entered Jeddah in peace. His understanding and the renowned wisdom of settled pilgrims inhabiting Hijaz led to an agreement that prevented useless bloodshed. After the end of the Ottoman Empire, the Gulf region passed through a period of turmoil. Different tribes were in a continuous fight and there was a desperate need for unification. For this reason, King Abdul Aziz and Jeddawis who cooperated with him, like Haji Abdullah Alireza, can be considered symbols of peace in our modern Saudi history.”
Apart from a variety of vintage photographs depicting King Abdul Aziz and his successors, the exhibition focuses on the figure of King Abdallah and displays significant pictures from his official visits all over the world. "Much appreciated by his people, King Abdullah is a man committed to peace. His travels abroad, including his meeting with the Pope, carry a particular value, as he is considered the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. Besides, he's always interested in projects emphasizing education, understanding and respect for others. He has recently donated a huge amount of money to the World Scout Foundation to encourage inter-cultural and interreligious understanding among young people of all faiths, nationalities and cultures," explained Angawi. "Also, the Honorary Chairman of the World Scout Foundation King Carl XVI Gustave of Sweden visited our exhibition on the occasion of the Scouts’ project launch. He and his wife expressed compliments and gratitude for the work done."
The exhibition continues on the second and third floor, tracing the history of Makkah and Madinah and presenting the figures of enlightened human beings who were able to think differently and bring back meaning to the concepts of dignity and peace. According to Angawi, the holy cities deserved special attention since they constantly unite thousands of pilgrims from all over the world going beyond race and social barriers. Director of the Al-Makkiyah and Al-Madaniyah Foundation, Angawi had at his disposal an archive of rare photographs collected throughout the years. They give an interesting touch to the exhibition from an archaeological point of view, as they represent the only proof of the impressive changes that altered the landscape of the two cities in the last decades.
As concerns the repertory of peace promoters, Angawi admits the available material was limited. "I included references to all the prophets but also to figures like Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and Mother Teresa of Calcutta to remind people a fundamental truth: Love transcends cultural and religious barriers and can be carried by every man, woman and child," he explained. "Next time, I would like diplomatic delegations in Jeddah to contribute their material to enrich the exhibition and make it representative not only of Saudi Arabia but of the entire international community."
The work that has been done until now, however, was huge and needed the total engagement of a tireless team, including graphic designers, copywriters, photographers and sound engineers. Also, the support of sponsors like the Barakat Trust Foundation and Sony was essential to enrich the exhibition with more historical photographs and video screenings. Angawi desires to give a special thank to certain members of his own family for their total support: Organizer and Manager Amirah Mashat, Creative Director Ahmad Angawi, Visualization and Animation Director Ammar Angawi and Photo Engineer Al-Hassan Angawi.
Angawi inaugurated the exhibition on Sept. 23, the day that Saudi Arabia celebrated the unification of the Kingdom, and now wishes to repeat the experiment next year on the same symbolic date. "Contributing with his moral and economic support to the Scouts' inter-cultural program, the King has raised a flag of dialogue. It's time for us now to catch the opportunity and spread the same message through new initiatives."
The exhibition will run until
Naseef House in Balad District, Jeddah
02-6064117
Sun. to Thurs. from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
and from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
