Nobel laureates glimpse KSA efforts to save ‘cultural treasures’

Protecting humanity’s common heritage is more critical than ever, as conflicts threaten historical sites and an obsession with economic growth endangers ecosystems, a conference of global intellectual leaders in AlUla has been told.

Issues of identity and the disruption facing communities through rapid change were highlighted in a panel discussion titled “Safeguarding Our Civilization: How to Prevent the Erosion of Our Common Heritage” at the Hegra Conference of Nobel Laureates and Friends 2022 on Saturday.

Nobel laureates and other prominent prize-winners gathered for a three-day retreat at Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site to identify actions that can be taken to help humanity thrive in the 21st century.

Key speakers at the conference, which was held under the theme “New Openings: Decisive Moments for a Decisive Decade,” were Diriyah Gate Authority CEO Jerry Inzerillo; author Dr. Jung Chang; human rights activist and 1992 Nobel Peace Prize winner Rigoberta Menchu-Tum; and Lech Wałęsa, 1983 Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former Polish president.

Inzerillo told Arab News that safeguarding civilization is a key aspect of the authority’s work.

“Diriyah is the birthplace of the Kingdom. It’s the home of Al-Saud, it’s where the Kingdom started, so we have to safeguard it and preserve it,” he said.

More and more cultural treasures have been unearthed through the development project, Inzerillo added.

“Now as we’re doing a development around it, we’re finding all sorts of archaeological treasures that date Dariyah back hundreds, if not thousands of years. So the more we’re digging, the more we’re finding which shows the rich cultural heritage of the Kingdom.”

Saudi Arabia is providing a good example when it comes to safeguarding civilization, he said.

“What’s happening now, thanks to King Salman, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, minister of culture, you’re seeing a big effort on cultural heritage preservation,” he said.

“This is wonderful because Saudi Arabia is rich in culture. The king proclaimed Feb. 22 as Founding Day; it doesn’t just celebrate the 90-year Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, it celebrates 300 years of Saudi’s history. Saudi Arabia is a rich country; culture, heritage and national identity. And it started in Dariyah and that’s why there’s only one Diriyah,” he added.

Phillip Jones, chief destination officer at the Royal Commission for AlUla, said that the conference offered global thought leaders a chance to work together toward global solutions.

“It allows us to invite global thought leaders from around the world to come and tackle some of the big challenges that we’re facing,” he said.

“We’re honored to host the quality of individuals who are Nobel Prize winners across multiple disciplines because it gives us the ability to make recommendations, to solve some of the problems that the world is facing,” Jones said.

“It gives us the ability to tell the world we’re here to help.”

The 120 delegates and guests included 10 Nobel laureates, as well as Pulitzer Prize winners, King Faisal Prize winners, King Salman Prize winners, and 15 gifted Saudi students.