A festival of Saudi culture is being planned by one of the most well-known Italian artistic directors and producers to honor the country’s distinctive personality. Open-air activities and installations are planned by Valerio Festi in a number of cities to help commemorate the history, culture, and future goals of the Kingdom.
Festi, a native of Bologna, is the brains behind numerous international open-air festivals inspired by Renaissance and Baroque customs. He has been producing these spectacular events for years, both in Europe and the Arab world. According to Arab News, his most recent was the World Cup opening ceremony in Qatar, which featured lights, dance, water, and a sizable hot air balloon.
The opening event for the G20 meeting in Riyadh, which the artist spent a few months working on, was postponed due to COVID-19 constraints. “I got the opportunity to get to know Saudi Arabia and its people directly and to appreciate its incredible background of culture and customs, an immense treasury that I believe is not known about enough overseas,” he said in an interview.
“That memory, that treasury needs to be shared and made as well-known as the enormous accomplishments the Kingdom has made over the years. Without such a backdrop, no success story could occur.”
He added that he is convinced that “the fashion of the Saudi past was father to the country’s present success.” Festi is now looking for a patron, someone he describes as a , for his project. He said: “I’m looking for someone who wants to organize a series of shows going on at least for one month in several Saudi cities. “This would be a unique festival for everyone to enjoy. It would be held in open spaces and enriched with installations of Saudi artworks which would mark the dialogue of the Kingdom with its future.”
The Italian Saudi Business Group, a Milan-based non-profit organization, aids Festi in his endeavors. It has been running in Jeddah since 2013 with the support of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the city and the General Consulate of Italy. “Festi symbolizes one of the Italian excellences in his profession, and we are glad to collaborate and promote his work in Saudi Arabia,” said ISBG President Alessandra Serafini.