Queen attends Bisat Al Reeh exhibition opening, visits Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah

AMMAN — Her Majesty Queen Rania attended the opening of Bisat Al Reeh’s 22nd annual exhibition at the Jeddah Superdome on Monday night, held under the patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Adelah bint Abdullah bint Abdulaziz Al Saud.

The Princess is the Chairwoman of the National Charity Foundation for Home Healthcare (NHHCF) “We Care” Board of Trustees, and the exhibition’s proceeds go towards funding programmes under the NHHCF, which aim to provide medical care for those in need, according to a statement from Her Majesty’s office.

Held over a period of six days, Bisat Al Reeh is part of Saudi Arabia’s Ramadan events organised by the Saudi Ministry of Culture, and is host to more than 170 local and regional participating entities from over 15 countries. 

Welcoming Her Majesty, President of Bisat Al Reeh Exhibition and Vice President of the National Charity Foundation for Home Healthcare “We Care”, Abeer Qabbani, stated that the Queen’s attendance lends great significance to the exhibition and emphasises its global reach, which is evident in a strong international participation in this year’s iteration. 

Alongside 150 participants from across the globe, Jordan River Designs made its debut as a vendor this year, with a display of handcrafted heritage items.  

Participants at this year’s exhibition will showcase a variety of home and lifestyle products including home accessories, jewellery, food products and fashion items. 

Setting itself apart as one of the most popular events in the kingdom, the exhibition, whose opening was attended by a number of prominent invitees, boasts a series of activities that allows visitors to interactively browse the displays and artwork.

Later that evening, Her Majesty also visited the inaugural Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah produced by Diriyah Biennale Foundation, a nonprofit organisation established in 2020 by the Ministry of Culture. 

CEO Aya Al Bakree gave Her Majesty a tour of the Biennale, which hosts over 300 works of art. These include 40 pieces created by international institutions and over 200 heritage items produced locally that feature a number of valuable historical artifacts from the Two Holy Mosques.

Themed “Awwal Bait”, meaning First House in reference to the Holy Ka’bah in Mecca, the first edition of the Islamic Arts Biennale features over 60 established and emerging artists from around the globe, over 60 new commissions, 280 artifacts, and over 15 never-before-exhibited works of art. 

While in Saudi Arabia, Queen Rania will also travel to Mecca to perform the umrah pilgrimage and hold an iftar banquet for a number of Jordanian women who are part of Her Majesty’s Ramadan umrah mission consisting of 500 women from across Jordan.