Taif Hosts Forum to Explore Camels' Role in Saudi Heritage

Saudi Camel Sports will organise the Taif Forum on Camels in Heritage and Media on September 5th and 6th, alongside the eighth Crown Prince Camel Festival at Taif Camel Square.

Held under the patronage of Taif Governor Prince Fawaz bin Sultan, the forum will examine the role of camels in Saudi heritage and how they have been represented across traditional and modern media.

The programme will include panel discussions with experts and specialists, as well as an interactive exhibition tracing the history of camels and their social and cultural significance in the Kingdom.

As part of the wider festival programme, Saudi Camel Sports will also host Arab rounds for member federations from outside the Gulf. These will include races featuring both human and robotic riders across different categories and distances.

The Crown Prince Camel Festival itself will run from September 3rd to 13th, with 248 races scheduled over 11 days in morning and evening sessions. Total prize money will exceed SR 50 million, or around USD 13 million.

This year will also introduce the Crown Prince Camel Festival Cup for Saudi participants for the first time, awarding SR 500,000 to the competitor who records the highest points total across the races.

Beyond competition, Saudi Camel Sports continues to run workshops and seminars aimed at developing skills among people working in the camel sector, with similar capacity-building activities included in previous editions of the festival.

The event has previously set four Guinness World Records in 2018, 2019 and 2024, including records for camel racing participation and an illuminated camel sculpture featuring 51,200 light sources. It has also received the Makkah Excellence Award in the Economic Excellence category.