Royal Commission for AlUla and Antiquities Association sign co-operation agreement at AlUla

The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) and Saudi Arabia’s Antiquities Association have signed an agreement to promote research and community participation in the fields of antiquities and cultural heritage, during this week’s AlUla World Archaeology Summit.

The agreement, signed by Dr Abdulrahman Alsuhaibani, Executive Director of Archaeology, Conservation, and Collections at RCU, and Hassa AlSudairy, the CEO of the Antiquities Association, will see both parties collaborate to train and develop Saudi archaeologists, exchange support for research, encourage community participation (including residents and visitors), and implement digital transformation in the field of antiquities through measures such as cooperation on libraries and databases.

With this agreement, RCU further positions itself as a leader in archaeology and cultural heritage, and becomes the first official partner of the Antiquities Association, which is part of the Ministry of Culture.

Dr Alsuhaibani said: “It is appropriate that this agreement is signed at the inaugural AlUla World Archaeology Summit, a leading platform for leveraging archaeology to benefit the broader society. RCU works with the best partners to create value with mutual benefit for AlUla, its people, and its visitors, along with the KSA archaeological community. We look forward to pursuing innovation, digitalisation, and community engagement with the Antiquities Association.”

Ms AlSudairy said: “Having been trained in archaeology myself, and having visited AlUla many times, it is an honour to have RCU as the first official partner of the Antiquities Association. The association is focused on digitalisation, sharing research knowledge, and nurturing the young women and men who are the future of Saudi archaeology – and the agreement with RCU furthers all those objectives.”

AlUla World Archaeology Summit

AlUla’s position as a hub of archaeological activity is being emphasised by the inaugural AlUla World Archaeology Summit from Sept 13-15, 2023.

The Summit is a platform for advancing archaeology, cultural heritage management and other disciplines. This gathering of leaders from academia, government, non-government organizations, industry, and young people representing the next generation of archaeologists will not only enrich the archaeological community and help protect shared history but also open up to a larger reflection of what and how archaeology, and more broadly cultural heritage, can contribute to transformational changes in society. 

Photo caption 

Dr Abdulrahman Alsuhaibani, Executive Director of Archaeology, Conservation, and Collections at the Royal Commission for AlUla, and Hassa AlSudairy, Chief Executive Officer of the Antiquities Association, sign a co-operation agreement on antiquities and cultural heritage during the AlUla World Archaeology Summit in AlUla, Saudi Arabia on September 14, 2023. Credit: RCU

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