Olive festival attracts thousands

A number of government and private establishments participating in the ongoing Al-Jouf Fifth Annual Olive Festival have attracted thousands of visitors. Al-Jouf University, responsible for the festival’s scientific committee, organized a number of seminars to help farmers learn the best methods to take care of olive trees. Undersecretary of the university Dr. Mahir Al-Anzi said the university invited a number of experts and specialists to deliver lectures and talk about olive trees in the seminars. He said a participant from King Faisal University in Al-Ahsa presented a paper on the use of oil residues in buildings and constructions after mixing them with cement. He also said a team from King Saud University in Riyadh organized a workshop on the best ways of fighting pests and preserving olives for a long time. The undersecretary said the university would bring two specialists, one from Tunisia and the other from Australia, to speak about antioxidants in olive trees. He added the university has opened a clinic manned by its medicine and dentistry students to treat visitors and provide them with initial health services such as checking blood pressure, diabetes, weight and others. Al-Jouf Technical Council, which has designed the festival's Internet website, has also organized a technical exhibition in the festival containing the innovative work of students from the city's technical and industrial vocational institutes. The council has designed special forms for the visitors to provide feedback about the festival. The council has invited Prof. Ala bin Hedi from Morocco to talk about his country's experience in enabling young businessmen to invest in olive farms. The Saudi express mail department, the official courier of the festival, is providing mail services for participants and visitors at reduced rates. They can send containers of olives and olive oil weighing up to 15 kg from the festival to anywhere in the Kingdom for SR15. The local Department of Education is this year participating by holding exhibitions containing official correspondence between the Ministry of Education and various schools in the region dating back more than 70 years. The exhibition also distributed books and pamphlets about the activities and achievements of the department. The municipality's pavilion in the festival contained replicas of the Al-Zaytoon Investment Oasis and King Abdullah Civilization Center. It is also giving out brochures showing the region's historic sites. The Saudi Electricity Company and the National Water Company also have pavilions displaying their activities and future plans. The Human Resources Development Fund has a special pavilion dedicated to its works and objectives. The Al-Jouf Literary Club has organized a poetry night during which a number of poets recited their work to the public. It is also distributing children books and other publications of the Ministry of Culture and Information.