DAMMAM: For the first time, the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, or Ithra, a Saudi Aramco initiative, will transform Dhahran Expo into a winter wonderland.
Arab News toured the family-friendly space with Munirah Alsafra, head of outreach programs at Ithra, who told us what to expect.
“Ithra Winter is different this year. We used to always present the experience within the Ithra premises, but this time we wanted to be closer to the visitors — we wanted to present a different experience, so we came to you. We moved from the center’s walls to be closer to our community,” she said.
The Expo space — often used for conferences, and where once COVID-19 vaccines were administered — has been divided into 17 Ithra-centric zones, each presenting a different cultural experience.
Essentially, the Expo will be converted into a mini Ithra and situated to be more accessible to those in Dammam, and to those who will be enjoying the cooler breeze near the corniche during the evenings.
There are also designated interactive spaces for young creatives, where visitors are encouraged to use supplied stickers to find a ready-made pattern to get inspired by — or to add their own spin on the theme on the communal wall.
