Photo: Unsplash
The Saudi Heritage Commission has announced several events and celebrations throughout the kingdom to mark World Heritage Day on Tuesday, April 18.
World Heritage Day, also known as International Day for Monuments and Sites, is an annual celebration dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of preserving cultural heritage sites and historical monuments around the world. It aims to promote cultural diversity, heritage conservation, and sustainable development through a number of events and activities around the world – from free entry to all national museums and archaeological sites in Italy to free guided tours of UNESCO World Heritage Sites such as the Taj Mahal in India.
In a similar manner, Saudis are being urged by the commission to take part in celebrations around the kingdom in an effort to not only pay homage to the rich history of Saudi Arabia but to also look toward the future and commit to preserving this heritage for generations to come. These events include craft markets, sound, and light shows at historic buildings, traditional dance performances, Al-Qatt Al-Asiri painting, and Arabic calligraphy.
The King Abdulaziz Historical Center in Riyadh will host events between April 18 and 23, from 9 pm to 1:30 am during Ramadan, and from 4 pm to 11 pm during Eid, and other activities will be staged in Al-Ahsa, Hail, and Jeddah’s historic Al-Balad district.
Saudi Arabia has been home to several pre-Islamic civilizations, such as the Lihyanites and the Nabateans, who left behind a wealth of archaeological sites and monuments, including the famous city of Madain Saleh. In the 7th century, Islam emerged in the region, and the kingdom became a center for Islamic scholarship and pilgrimage, with the cities of Mecca and Medina attracting millions of Muslims from around the world each year. This combined with the rise and fall of various Arab empires has left the region with a diverse and rich heritage worthy of celebrating and preserving with pride.
Read Next: The Mukaab: Saudi Arabia Announces Plans for the World’s Largest Inner City Building
