The 17th Kleija Festival kicks off in Buraidah with the participation of 750 productive families
Kleija Festival kicked off in Buraidah on Thursday evening, amidst a large turnout and excellent organization by the Qassim Chamber of Commerce. The region's premier heritage and economic event will run for 10 days at the King Khalid Cultural Center, featuring over 750 participating families, as well as numerous artisans and sponsors.
An economic event supporting productive families
The festival is not merely an entertainment event; it also serves as a vital economic driver for the Qassim region. Its primary aim is to empower local families involved in small-scale, individual production, enabling them to expand into sustainable businesses. Qassim's "Kleija" (a type of date-filled pastry) is a strategic product that has created employment opportunities for thousands of women and girls, boosting family incomes and contributing to social and economic development goals, in line with the Kingdom's Vision 2030's support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and handicrafts.
Cultural heritage and universal taste
The city of Buraidah is gaining international recognition in the culinary field, particularly after its inclusion in UNESCO's Creative Cities Network in the field of Gastronomy. The Kleija Festival further solidifies this status, showcasing the region's rich culinary heritage through this golden disc, rich in spices and date syrup, which is synonymous with Saudi hospitality. The festival offers visitors a firsthand experience of traditional preparation methods, contributing to the preservation and transmission of this heritage to future generations, and introducing visitors from within the Kingdom and abroad to the region's food culture.
Diverse activities and tourist attractions
This year's festival boasts a diverse range of programs and activities targeting all segments of society. In addition to stalls selling traditional date-filled pastries and other local products, the events include folkloric performances showcasing the region's heritage, a children's theater, and training workshops for artisans. The festival also contributes to boosting tourism in the Qassim region during the winter break, as visitors flock to enjoy the heritage atmosphere and purchase fresh produce directly from local families, thus stimulating commercial activity in the city's accommodation and related services sectors.
