On behalf of HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Makkah Region Deputy Governor Prince Saud bin Mishaal bin Abdulaziz today presided over the closing ceremony of the sixth Crown Prince Camel Festival in Taif, organized by the Saudi Camel Racing Federation. The event's final day featured four competitive races, each covering a distance of six kilometers, with 107 elite camels participating. Camel owners from across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations competed for financial prizes totaling more than SAR57 million, awarded to both local and international winners. On this occasion, Sport Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal, who also is chairman of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee, expressed his deep gratitude to HRH the Crown Prince for his generous patronage of the festival. He emphasized that such support underscores the Crown Prince's commitment to advancing the sports sector and his dedication to preserving camel racing as a cheri shed part of Saudi heritage. Prince Abdulaziz noted that the sixth edition of the festival aligns with the designation of 2024 as the "Year of the Camel," highlighting the cultural significance of camels in the Kingdom's history. The festival also serves as a platform for researchers and specialists to exchange knowledge on camels, their products, medical applications, and related industries, reinforcing the importance of this heritage locally and internationally. Source: Saudi Press Agency