RIYADH: The Saudi Culinary Arts Commission is to take part in the Agora Festival being staged in Paris from Thursday to Sept. 4. Known as the International Gastronomy Village, the festival will feature seven pavilions celebrating Saudi coffee as a distinctive cultural product of the Kingdom, while highlighting the cultural diversity in the country’s culinary arts and its global appeal. As part of the 2022 Year of Saudi Coffee initiative launched by the Ministry of Culture, the commission allocated three pavilions, and Saudi coffee experts will be on hand in the French capital preparing coffee in its traditional way and explaining the process from start to finish. An area will also be dedicated to traditional crafts, and two pavilions will house Saudi chefs cooking up savory and sweet authentic dishes for visitors to taste. A further two pavilions will be devoted to Saudi dates, helping to introduce festivalgoers to the Kingdom’s rich heritage, produce, and culinary creativity. Now in its fifth edition, the Agora Festival focuses on displaying products from countries and cities around the world. Being held in Trocadero Gardens in Paris and sponsored by top French chef Guy Savoy, this year’s event will feature more than 50 nations and territories including Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Argentina, Brazil, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Madagascar, Malaysia, Morocco, Martinique, Mexico, Nigeria, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Peru, Portugal, the Philippines, Qatar, Romania, Tanzania, Taiwan, Togo, Thailand, Tunisia, Ukraine, and Venezuela.