The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) has announced that it will host the AlUla International Archeology Summit from September 13th to 15th, 2023. The summit will bring together leading experts and pioneers in archeology and cultural heritage to discuss and collaborate on four major topics: identity, archeological sites, flexibility, and access.
The summit aims to serve as a platform for scientific discourse, innovation, and networking, with 60 speakers working towards establishing connections between archeology and contemporary global issues within the sector. The goal is to foster a shared vision and develop heritage-based solutions for the benefit of humanity, aligned with the targets of the Saudi Vision 2030.
The summit will also feature a Future, where experts from the Kingdom and abroad will engage in brainstorming discussions on strategies to improve archeology and cultural landscapes. The forum will explore topics such as digital archeology, sustainable tourism, community engagement, and heritage management.
The summit coincides with the Kingdom hosting, for the first time, the 45 sessions of UNESCO's World Heritage Committee in Riyadh from September 10th to 25th. The session will review the state of conservation of the world's cultural and natural heritage sites and inscribe new ones on the World Heritage List.
AlUla is a region of rich cultural and natural heritage in north-western Saudi Arabia. It is home to dramatic desert landscapes, spectacular rock formations, and some of the Middle East's most significant ancient sites, including those built by Lihyanite and Nabataean civilizations of the 1st millennium BCE and beyond. AlUla is also the site for Mada'in Salih, the first UNESCO World Heritage Site in Saudi Arabia.
The RCU was established in July 2017 to protect and preserve the region's extraordinary heritage and prepare for an era of renewed international collaboration and tourism. The RCU has launched a major integrated archaeological survey of the AlUla Valley and beyond, using state-of-the-art technologies and methods to document, map, and model the area. The survey will provide a better understanding of the region's history and culture, as well as inform the conservation and development plan for the area.
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