Environment & Energy | Saturday 25 April, 2015 9:09 am |

All the monuments in the Kingdom and in marine areas under the Saudi Arabia’s jurisdiction are public property, said Director-General of the Legal Department at the General Authority for Tourism and Antiquities, Faisal Al-Fadil.

“Anyone who alters or damages an archaeological or heritage site or monument is subject to imprisonment for a period of one month to one year, fine between SR10,000 and SR100,000 or both,” he said.

During a workshop held yesterday at King Faisal University, Al-Fadil said the General Authority surveys and reports on all monuments and architectural heritage sites in the Kingdom, determining what needs to be recorded and adopted by the state as a national, historical, cultural and artistic site.

“The ‘Heritage Record’ includes reports of all heritage sites and fix and movable monuments, as well as historical sites of cultural and national importance,” he said.
Al-Fadil emphasized the importance of preserving these sites and monuments during the “development of town and village planning or expansion projects.”
Plans must take into account protection of these sites, and all projects that both cover and do not cover heritage sites or monuments must be approved by the Authority first.
Mohammed Al-Ahmari, a specialist of architectural heritage and museums at the Authority, presented the Cultural Heritage Protection program during the workshop.

“The program aims to enhance the knowledge of the citizens on the nation’s heritage, as well as work on the rehabilitation and operation of historic buildings and sites to turn them into cultural centers, while preserving and protecting their history,” he said.

The General Authority for Tourism and Antiquities has identified 8,000 archaeological sites in the Kingdom, according to Director General of Department of Registration and Protection of Monuments at the Authority, Abdullah Al-Rashid.