Unaizah

Unaizah is in the south of Al-Qassim Province and at the heart of the historical region of Najd. It is located roughly 30 kilometers from Buraydah (the capital of the province) and more than 300 kilometers north of the Saudi capital, Riyadh. Unaizah lies in the northern-central region of the Najd and to the south of the Wadi al-Rummah (Rumma Valley), which is the longest valley on the Arabian peninsula. It is surrounded by sand dunes to its north and west, which are known locally as the Al-Ghamis Sands. The Al-Ghadha Woods are located to the north of the city. Next to Unaizah is the Al-Aushaziyah salt lake (or Sabkha), which is considered an official part of the city.

Palm trees in Unaizah

Leeks (kurrat) farm in Unaizah

A section in Unaizah International Dates Festival 08

Unaizah is an agricultural area and produces wheat and barley of various strains. The region also grows grapes, grapefruits, lemons, leeks, mandarins, oranges, pomegranates and dates.

Leeks (kurrat) are a very important part of the local culture of Unaizah. They are popular among the locals and comprise a significant portion of the local agricultural industry.

An annual Date Season Festival has been held in September since the early 2000s, giving Unaizah the distinction of hosting the second largest date festival in the Persian Gulf and the Middle East. The festival rivals the date festival of neighboring Buraydah's, which is sometimes known as "Buraydah, the City of Dates".[3][4]

Unaizah's 2008 (4th) annual Date Festival was known as the "Unaizah International Date Festival", though the city's title "Unaizah, the Kingdom of Dates" was retained as a motto. Many people from different places of the Middle East come to see this festival and buy dates because they know there is a good quality of dates.

Unaizah Municipality logo

The Unaizah Municipality (Arabic: بلدية عنيزة or baladiyah Arabic: البلدية ) was founded in AH 1381 (1961/1962) in Unaizah. It carries out the civic administration for the Metropolitan area of Unaizah. The municipality was established for the purpose of maintaining villages, regulating construction projects and systematizing public health, safety measures and the construction of the infrastructure of the city such as roads, the stormwater drainage network and street lighting. The Unaizah Municipality has 3 main agencies:

• Services Agency : Responsible of maintenance and operation of facilities in the city.
• Project Management Agency: Responsible of managing and regulating the construction projects in the city.
• Urbanization and Planing Agency: Responsible of urban planning and administrating lands and properties in the city.

The municipality has had 16 mayors since it was founded.

there is 18 villages and offices within the range of Unaizah Municipality.

Unaizah is home to some pioneers in education; the first Saudi person from Al-Qassim Province to earn a PhD. degree was from Unaizah, and his name was Abdulaziz Al-Khowaiter.[5] The first Saudi female from Al Qassim Province to earn a PhD degree was also raised in this city. Her name was Ebtisam Al Bassam.[6]

One of the first cities to embrace female education in Al-Qassim Province and Najd was Unaizah. It faced resistance from neighboring provinces and brought Unaizah at the forefront of a national debate. After lengthy negotiations, the capital city of Qassim, Buraidah a sister city of Unaizah, officially recognized the right of an education for females, partly due to King Abdulaziz's interference in settling the dispute.[7]

Today, there are many public schools in Unaizah for all three educational levels (primary, intermediate, and secondary). There are also two private schools and one private international school. There is also a boys' technological secondary school in the city and a technological college, as well as a girls' educational college. Qassim University is located approximately 30 kilometers north of the city, and enrolls both males and females.[8]

The people of Unaizah are well known for their hospitality and acceptance for people from other races and religions. The famous Charles Montagu Doughty lived in the city during his odyssey and wrote highly about the city.

Amin al-Rihani (the famous Franco-Lebanese scholar and traveler) spoke highly of the city's architecture and works of art in his book "Kings of Arabia" likening it to Paris thereby coining the nickname "Paris of Najd" for the city.[9]

The Roman Amphitheatre during the 2005 Unaizah Festival

The Al Ghadha Desert Festival

Built in 1955, Al Bassam Mansion is one of the main tourist attractions in Unaizah

There are twelve tourist festivals and activities recognized by the Saudi Commission for Tourism & Antiquities, and a calendar has been made for these events.

Unaizah, has renewed its status as a trailblazer of Tourism in the Qassim Province

— Prince Faisal bin Bandar Al Saud (the Governor of Al-Qassim and Chairman of the province's Tourism Council)[10]

The tourist attractions in Unaizah range from festivals to private meetings in family ranches. Some of the most notable venues in which festivals are held are the following:

• Almusawkaf
• Onaizah Mall
• Othaim Mall
• Al-Ghada Park
• Al Bassam Mansion, a traditional house and a private museum
• Al Hajeb Parks
• Al Hamdan House, a traditional house and a private museum
• Asia Resort and Park
• Dream Land, the largest theme park in Al Qassim Province and reportedly the Central Region
• Judaida Local Market
• King Fahd Cultural Center
• The Roman amphitheater
• Salih Bin Salih Cultural Center
• The Unaizah House for Traditional Legacy
• Caravanserai Museum, a little museum of antiques, family memories, traditional things, and historical stories

There are five hotels in Unaizah, two of which are currently under construction, in addition to the rental apartments and suites distributed all around the city:

• Al Fahd Crown (under construction)
• Golden Tulip (under construction)
• Radisson Blu Hotel (under construction)
• Onaizah Hotel
• Boudl

Although Unaizah is thought to be relatively more accepting of visitors than its neighbors, its tourism industry faces criticism for a number of reasons. One such criticism is its disregard for infrastructure maintenance.[11]

The city has been ruled by the Al Sulaim family (Sons of Sulaiman Al-Zamil) since 1818. They came to power when Prince Yehya Al-Sulaim in 1822 killed the governor appointed by the Ottoman emperor, Abdullah Al-Jamei. This dynasty still rules the city according to a written treaty between them and the Saudi royal family. Some of the most famous families in Saudi Arabia originate from Unaizah, including Al Juffali, Al Saikhan, Al Ohaly, Alsmaeel, AlGarawi, Al Abalkhail, Al Ghothami, Al Hatlani, Al Ghumayz, Al Sulaiman, Al Hamdan, Al Akeel, Al Fadl, Al Tamimi, Al Zamil (ALZamel), Al Olayan, Al Bassam, Al Gadhi, Al Matrody, Al Salloum, Al Saheel, Al Subaiee, Al Senany, Al Mansour, Al Yahya, Al Thukair, Al Turki, Al Dubayan, Al Shoshan, Al Shubaili, Al Shebel, Al Damigh, Al Othaimeen, Al Malloohi, Al Marzooki, Al Manei, Al Se'di, Al Abeeki, Al Houthi, Al Khwaiter, Al Sowayil, Al Daffaa, Al Jaffali, Al Dukhayyel, Al Dakheel, Al Abdeli, Al Suhaimi families and many others.

Unaizah Governor Musaad Al-Sulim from (2007–2011).

• Mohammad al-Yahya, first Saudi Arabian CEO at the bank of HSBC
• Heythem Abdullah ALZamel, one of the First Saudi Trauma/Acute Care Surgeons; educated and trained in the United States.
• Abdullah al-Senany, poet, educator, and calligrapher
• Azzam al-Kadi, laparoscopic and trauma surgeon, public figure, and assistant professor at Al Qassim University
• Mohammad al-Sebayel, the first Arab surgeon to perform a human liver transplant
• Abdulaziz al-Hazzaa, comedian notable for his different voice levels.
• Musa'ad al-Senany, Saudi Minister of Labor and Social Affairs
• Khalid Al-Mansour, Saudi retired footballer
• Abdullah al-Nuaim, Riyadh city manager, vice president of King Saud University, founder and President of the Board of Trustees, King Fahd National Library
• Abdulaziz al-Nuaim, member of the Saudi Shura Council.
• Abdullah al-Hamdan, Saudi Air Force general
• Abdullah bin Sulaiman al-Hamdan, Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, adviser to King Abdulaziz
• Abdullah Al Shebel, president of Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University
• Abdul Aziz Bin Abdullah Al Zamil, industrial engineer and politician, Minister of Industry and Electricity
• AbdalRahman al-Subeit, vice president of the Saudi Arabia National Guard
• AbdalRahman Abalkhail, Minister of Labor and Social Affairs and Saudi Ambassador to Egypt
• Yousef Al-Othaimeen, Minister of Social Affairs
• Mohammad Al-Sowayel, President of King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology
• Ahmad Al Dubayan, director of the Islamic Cultural Centre in London
• Ali Al Khayat, poet and writer
• Abdullah Al Shoshan, poet
• Abdullah Al-Houthi, Former General Manager and Controller of Sabick Inc [13][14][15][16]
• Saleh Al-Dabibi, Lawyer [17][18]
• Muhammed Al-Houthi, Former Goalkeeper for Al-Najma SC and the Saudi International Team.[19][20][21][22] Featured on the "Coke Collectible Cans" that featured various "Gold Star" players on the Saudi Arabia National Team. He is seen in the first row, third can.[23][24]
• Abdul Rahman Al-Dabibi, Former Captain of Al-Camel Milk FC.[25]
• Ibrahim bin Abdullah Al Suwaiyel, former Saudi Ambassador to the United States
• Ebraheem Alsuleiman (Alakeel), former chief of Crown Prince Faisal's Royal Court and former Saudi Ambassador to Egypt
• Yusef Al-Bassam, President of the Saudi Development Fund
• Lubna Olayan, prominent businesswoman[26]
• Muhammad Al Shubeili, former Saudi Ambassador to Iraq and Malaysia
• Muhammad Al Zughaiby, Minister of Transportation
• Abdulmohsen Al-Bassam, Retired officer in the Royal Saudi Air Force and a former astronaut. He was the back-up payload specialist for Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on STS-51-G.
• Nassir Al-Salloum, Minister of Transportation
• Dawood Alsulaim, pilot, major general, and former Saudi Military Attaché to the United Kingdom.
• Saleh Al Abbad, former chief of the Saudi Royal Court.
• Saleh Al Nugaidan, draughtsman, painter, and photographer.
• Sulaiman S. Olayan, one of Saudi Arabia's leading businessmen whose autobiography is titled "From Unaizah to Wall Street."[27]
• Sulaiman Al Sulaim, former Minister of Commerce and Finance and Chairman of Saudi American Bank
• Abdulrahman Rashed Alkhayat, Royal Saudi Navy admiral
• Saad Al-Sowayan, anthropologist and writer
• Abdul-Rahman ibn Nasir al-Sa'di, a Sunni Muslim scholar and former imam of the city's Jami' mosque
• Muhammad ibn Uthaymeen, a Sunni Muslim scholar and former imam of the city's Jami' mosque

Unaizah is well known for its hospitality, hence, there are a variety of tourism Festivals in the year. These include dates, and healthy crops festivals. There is also a bi-annual cultural festival which is a trademark for this city. It was the only city of the Najd region to invite a Saudi Shiite cleric to speak in a public event, in a grass-roots effort to promote a united national identity. This drew criticism from conservatives in neighboring cities.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Unaizah.

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  Bin Uthaimeen Mosque
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  Al Gadhi Mosque
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  Al Gadhi Mosque and The Municipality Building
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  Onaizah Hotel
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  Aerial view of Al Ghadha Desert Festival 2007
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  King Abdulaziz Road

• Unaizah Municipality
• Najd
• `Anazzah

• Information about the city
• Unaizah's Department of Education
• Municipality website