RIYADH: Twelve young storytellers took to the stage in Diriyah on Monday to share stirring tales from the history of Saudi Arabia.
They were the winners of the Rawi Al-Diriyah competition, which was organized by the Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) in cooperation with the Ministry of Education to encourage students to learn about the history of the Kingdom and its ancient storytelling tradition. More than 250,000 middle and high school students registered for the contest when it was launched in late 2020, and 12,000 submissions were received.
During an awards ceremony set against the backdrop of historic At-Turaif, the birthplace of Saudi Arabia, the 12 finalists told the stories of historic Saudi figures, characters and traditions. One of the winners was Judy Ali Al-Oumrah, who told of the Kingdom’s enduring love of Arabian horses and the important role they have played throughout Saudi history.
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More than 250,000 middle-school and high-school students registered for the contest and 12,000 submissions were received.
“I felt a sense of pride in myself because during the preparation process there were preliminary rounds that we had to pass to make it to the live performance,” Al-Oumrah told Arab News. “I am very thankful, and thanks to God I did it.”
The other winners were Asem Ibrahim Fatah, Bader Andullah Alharbi, Abdullah Abdul Aziz Al-Rasheed, Safanah Khalid Al-Grainees, Sondos Omar Seet, Saeed Algahtani, Homoud Alsahli, Khalid Abu Tawari, Ghala Sulaiman Al-Taymani, Joud Altawalah Al-Shamare, and Mouneera Mougren Al-Mogren.
After their performances they received their awards from Mohammed Al-Muqbil, undersecretary for general education at the Ministry of Education, and DGDA CEO Jerry Inzerillo. Inzerillo also presented Al-Muqbil with a plaque on behalf of the authority.
At the end of the ceremony the winners and their families joined Inzerillo and Al-Muqbil for a group photograph in front of historic Salwa Palace.
They then sat down for a celebratory dinner and watched a grand light show that featured scenes from the history of the Kingdom, from the establishment of the first Saudi state and the attack by the Ottoman Empire through to the return of King Abdulaziz and the founding of present-day Saudi Arabia.
