The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), in collaboration with UNESCO, launched “Innovating Documentary Heritage for Sustainable Development in AlUla and Saudi Arabia” Conference at the UENSCO headquarters in Paris.
The conference, running from April 29-30, 2025, falls under the UNESCO’s “Memory of the World” program. An elite of world experts and leading institutions concerned with historical memory, in addition to cultural policymakers will come together to discuss ways to capitalize on documentary heritage in supporting education, fostering cultural dialogue, and contributing to achieving the sustainable development goals in Saudi Arabia and the Arab region.
Alongside the conference, the UNESCO is holding the “Words on Memory: A Window into Saudi Arabia’s Documentary Heritage” exhibition, from April 28 to May 2, 2025. It is a showcase of Saudi Arabia’s archival legacy and storytelling traditions, in partnership with national memory institutions, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
The initiative is part of the RCU’s efforts to protect the natural and cultural heritage of AlUla, in line with Saudi Vision 2030 objectives. Moreover, the initiative aims to consolidate AlUla’s standing as a regional center for cultural leadership and heritage-driven development.
Furthermore, the “Innovating Documentary Heritage for Sustainable Development in AlUla and Saudi Arabia” conference extends the RCU’s partnership with UNESCO under the “Memory of the World” program and the Kingdoms Institute, reaffirming their joint efforts in documentary heritage preservation, capacity building capacities, and knowledge exchange on a worldwide scale.
