Saleh Fareed
Saudi Gazette
JEDDAH — Archivist Abdulrahman Al-Mashaeekh preserves the past with mixed media and has brought his unique collection to the Kunna Kida (We were like this) heritage festival with a show entitled "Historical Jeddah in Journalism."
The exhibition included 40 sets of newspaper clippings that tell inspiring stories about life in downtown Jeddah and its development.
Al-Mashaeekh, who worked at the archives department of Okaz Organization for Press and Publication for 18 years, said the exhibition aimed to show visitors how local newspapers dealt with all aspects of Jeddah’s historical area over the last 40 years.
“When I started working at the archives department at Okaz, my passion for archiving newspapers and other documents began. I learned how to collect and archive important clippings from the media for later use,” Al-Mashaeekh said.
After retiring from Okaz, Al-Mashaeek used his experience to establish his own archives center, called Jeddah Center for Journalistic Heritage, with the purpose of collecting and documenting all materials related to the history and heritage of old Jeddah.
“I think what drew me to the archives profession is actually the need for archival expertise and skills outside of formal archival institutions. It’s here that I feel I can make the most impact,” he said.
He noted that old newspapers and magazines offer a wealth of insight into history and critical events as they were unfolding at that time.
“As an archiving center, I thought it is our duty to take part in such a big event attended by huge numbers of visitors in order to show the big role of local media in featuring the historic Jeddah,” he said of his participation in the festival.
Al-Mashaeekh said he believes that social responsibility is of great importance, so the center cooperates with authorities, providing care and protection for documents, and by participating in events that are important to society.
