Diriyah, 17 November 2025: The second edition of Diriyah Storytelling Festival kicked off yesterday as one of the flagship programs of Diriyah Season 25/26. The festival is held in the historic Al-Bujairi District, a place of great cultural importance since the founding of the First Saudi State by Imam Mohammed bin Saud. The district served as a cultural hub and a beacon of knowledge, attracting scholars and students from across the Arabian Peninsula and beyond.

Running for two weeks and receiving visitors daily from 5 p.m., the festival offers a platform that brings together leading local and international writers and authors in a celebration of narrative arts in all their forms. It showcases interactive evenings where stories converge with music and visual arts, exploring storytelling as one of the most significant forms of human expression. It also bridges the rich tradition of oral narrative with modern storytelling tools, reflecting the historic role of Al-Bujairi as a meeting point for intellectuals, poets, and thinkers.

To enrich the visitor experience, Diriyah Storytelling Festival offers more than 40 workshops and panel discussions in both Arabic and English, over 20 lectures, and inspiring talks featuring more than 30 speakers, including authors and experts in storytelling and narrative arts.

The festival also features Majlis Ar-Rawi, which hosts a different story every day, and the Tell Us a Story experience, allowing visitors to record personal memories and reflections in a calm setting. Additionally, Who’s the Storyteller? invites guests to try a book-vending machine that hides covers and titles, encouraging discovery and engagement with unexpected stories.

The festival further presents the interactive Diriyah Between the Lines experience, where visitors select small capsules containing hidden texts with inspiring story excerpts. The Giving Shelf offers a dedicated cart for book donations.

Storytellers’ Forum has been designed as an accessible literary corner featuring six pavilions that provide opportunities for exploration and direct engagement with the world of literature in a culturally enriching environment.

Diriyah Storytelling Festival contributes to strengthening the authentic cultural identity of the historic Al-Bujairi District by celebrating stories that reflect local and global human experiences, firmly rooted in Saudi heritage. The festival offers a literary journey that connects past and present, highlighting Diriyah as a global cultural center where human experiences intersect and Saudi stories, with their authentic spirit, meet modern narrative approaches.

Diriyah Season 25/26 continues the vision of the Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) to reinforce Diriyah’s role as the cradle of the Saudi state and as a permanent platform for cultural engagement. The season features programs that reflect authentic Saudi values in a contemporary manner, in alignment with cultural and tourism objectives, two pillars of sustainable development under Saudi Vision 2030.

ENDS

For media inquiries, please contact:
DSmedia@diriyahseason.sa

About Diriyah Season 26/25:
Diriyah Season is one of the most prominent tourist and cultural seasons in the Kingdom. This year, it returns with its new edition 26/25, offering a unique blend of innovative programs inspired by the authenticity and ancient history of Diriyah, including numerous live experiences accompanying visitors throughout the Season.

The Season extends for over 120 days across Diriyah's historical areas, which host more than 10 programs designed according to international standards that respect Saudi authenticity and respond to the aspirations of local and international audiences.

By focusing on: hospitality generosity, environmental sustainability, and enabling artisans and creatives, Diriyah Season 25/26 stands as a landmark in the Saudi cultural movement and an annual destination for lovers of history, culture, arts, and renewed events from within the Kingdom and abroad.

Media Kit Link
#YourPrideYourPlace