International Participation Enriches the 17th Edition of the Buraidah Kleija Festival

The 17th edition of the Kleija Festival, held at the King Khalid Cultural Center in Buraidah, featured international participation from the Kingdom of Morocco, the Republic of Turkey, and the Arab Republic of Egypt. This participation enriched the festival's activities and enhanced its cultural and culinary dimensions.

These international contributions aimed to introduce visitors to the best and most famous dishes of each country, along with their culinary traditions, thus fostering cultural exchange, enriching the visitor experience, and increasing the diversity of the festival's activities.

The international pavilions showcased a diverse array of traditional dishes from each participating country. Moroccan cuisine included couscous, harira soup, msemen (Moroccan pancakes), and a selection of Moroccan tea and sweets. Egyptian dishes featured koshari, feteer meshaltet (Egyptian layered pastry), stuffed vegetables, hawawshi (Egyptian meat pie), ful medames (fava beans), and falafel. Turkish cuisine included Turkish pancakes (közleme), köfte (meatballs), chestnuts, and various types of Turkish grilled meats, along with demonstrations of their preparation and presentation, reflecting the diversity of culinary cultures and traditions.

The accompanying events included live cooking demonstrations by expert chefs from the participating countries. Visitors were able to prepare dishes in front of them, sample them, and even have their portions served, creating an interactive experience.

The festival's activities have garnered significant visitor engagement and contribute to promoting both global and local food cultures, sharing diverse culinary traditions in an interactive and culturally enriching way.