Diriyah, Jewel of the Kingdom: Diriyah’s youth brainstorm ideas and innovations for community

As part of the Diriyah Gate Development Authority’s mission to invest in the personal growth of the Diriyah community, its community engagement team hosted a series of monthly workshops aimed at introducing initiatives to empower the residents of Diriyah.
The innovation workshops saw participants from the local community brainstorm, identify challenges and provide quick to long-term solutions. Aimed at improving ease of living and community services across Diriyah, the workshops fostered a creative space for young people to explore the area’s heritage and its impact on Saudi Arabia’s arts and culture sectors.
More than 20 young women and men took part in the workshops across various working groups, in which they built ideas and solutions to strengthen key areas of Diriyah’s community. Topics ranged from enhancing learning and development, supporting arts and culture, and nurturing proud and knowledgeable community ambassadors.
The workshops brought out the best in the young participants, who engaged and discussed innovative approaches to promote Diriyah as a hub for Saudi culture and heritage. Long-term goals and projects from the sessions touched on developing family-friendly public spaces and culture trails, supporting local and women entrepreneurship, and promoting Diriyah’s heritage across art and education forums. Participants outlined community-centric programs to foster Diriyah’s sustainability and good neighborhood practices, focusing on the use of renewable sources of energy and committing to its conservation and preservation through the “Plant Your Land” initiative.
Mansour Alshehri, shared value manager in DGDA’s community engagement team, was pleased with the outcomes of the workshops, saying: “Diriyah has a bright future ahead and is in the safe hands of our youth and residents. I am delighted to see their level of enthusiasm and creativity as a vision to lead the Diriyah community forward.
“Our youth are innovative, forward-thinking and inclusive, covering all aspects of quality of life in Diriyah. The discussions and sessions have been insightful, informative and intelligent and I look forward to many more workshops to come.”
The Diriyah Gate development is a key giga-project established as part of the Kingdom’s plans under Vision 2030. DGDA seeks to transform the area, which is widely recognized as the “jewel of the Kingdom,” into a global destination promoting the birthplace of Saudi Arabia. The project combines world-class historical conservation work with extensive redevelopment and regeneration of the local area.
For DGDA, community development and the preservation of its heritage are key pillars to support, educate and promote Diriyah’s uniqueness. Workshops are designed to give Diriyah’s young people the opportunity to be proud ambassadors of Saudi history and become an integral part of the Kingdom’s transformation story. The innovative workshops provide a platform for dialogue, ideas and solutions that position Diriyah at the center of Saudi Arabia’s aspirations.