28 INCENTIVES Heritage
SHAPING A NATION
THE SAUDIS ARE A CULTURAL MIX WITH A RICH HISTORY THAT HAS BEEN SHAPED BY ITS ISLAMIC HERITAGE, ITS HISTORICAL ROLE AS AN ANCIENT TRADE CENTRE, AND ITS BEDOUIN TRADITIONS
In bygone years Saudi Arabia was at the centre of ancient trade, transporting spice and silk, predominantly, from North Africa through Saudi Arabia and on to Asia. The Arabian people were enriched by many different civilisations with the far- reaching trade network that extended to South Asia, the Mediterranean and Egypt. This cultural mix was further enhanced with the introduction of Islam in the 7th century AD, which rapidly spread across the Atlantic Ocean and east to India and China. This was a period of great learning in culture, science, philosophy and the arts, and it was known as the Islamic 'Golden Age'.
saudiarabia 2011
To this day, millions of Islamic pil- grims make the journey to Saudi Arabia to the most religious of Islamic sites, the Ka'aba in the Grand Mosque in Makkah (Mecca). These travellers continue to enrich the cultural mix in the Kingdom. The late King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrah- man formed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1932 and his sons have since dedicated themselves to preserving Arab traditions and culture. One of the most upheld traditions of the Saudi people is the extension of hospital- ity, which every Saudi offers to strangers, friends and family.
The simplest expression of hospitality is coffee and its preparation is a cultural tradi- tion. The Saudi coffee contains cardamom, and sometimes other spices like saffron to give it a golden colour and a sweet taste. It is often served in small cups along with dates and sweets. Another gesture of hospitality is the burning of incense to welcome guests.
Cultural institutions A variety of institutions have been estab- lished throughout Saudi Arabia to pre- serve the country's cultural heritage, the largest being the Department of Culture at the Ministry of Culture & Information.
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