ROYAL COMMISSION FOR ALULA TO JOIN GLOBAL LEADERS GATHERED AT 54TH WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM

The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) will once again attend the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting, taking place in Davos, Switzerland, from 15-19 January.

The 54th edition of WEF will host national leaders, investors, economists, academics, media figures, businesspeople, and politicians to help find solutions to our world’s most critical environmental, social, and economic issues. 

Over five days in Davos, located in the eastern Swiss Alps, RCU and other Saudi entities will engage with WEF attendees through a series of high-level discussions, bilateral meetings, panel sessions, and official receptions. 

Centrally located on Davos Promenade, RCU’s pavilion will host sessions designed to explore global challenges and expand upon the successes encountered as part of AlUla’s comprehensive regeneration, with topics including Building Resilient and Community-centric Economies, and Beyond the Hype: Implementing a Circular Economy, among others.

With an eye-catching design that reflects both the cultural and physical landscape of AlUla, the RCU Pavilion will be an inspirational attraction at WEF 2024. It will draw visitors to discover more about AlUla’s past through a real-life display of statues recently excavated from Dadan, one of the county’s most important archaeological sites. AlUla’s present can be seen through an interactive map, while VR experiences will engage guests with RCU's vision of AlUla's future, piquing their curiosity and encouraging discovery.

Sultan AlBooq, RCU’s Chief General Counsel, said: “RCU’s participation at WEF is an invaluable opportunity to tell AlUla’s story on the world’s stage, showcasing our ongoing efforts to regenerate AlUla County and create a prosperous and engaged city and a thriving destination for a new kind of cultural and heritage-focused eco-tourism.”

“RCU and Saudi Arabia are committed to building the long-term foundations for a resilient, inclusive, and sustainable tomorrow through collaborations with a growing network of partners and stakeholders, to empower a brighter future through transformative growth and new opportunities.”

The annual event will allow RCU to present to an audience of respected experts and thinkers its work within the sphere of sustainability, and efforts to integrate holistic approaches to environmental protection and conservation that drive success while also leveraging on RCU’s expansive knowledge and experience in the sector.

During WEF 2024, leading officials from RCU will work with new and existing partners to enrich, rekindle, and establish new connections, relationships, and collaborations, with on-the-ground sessions covering diverse topics of regional and global importance.

By fostering dialogue around the value of new technology and data-driven solutions, RCU will use WEF as a springboard to highlight how its digital priorities are improving quality of life for visitors and citizens, while helping to achieve its long-term goal of building a resilient destination, diversified economy, and thriving community.

Organised under the theme ‘Rebuilding Trust’, this year’s WEF will aim to find a global response to a world in transformation, transition, and in need of solutions – with a focus on key issues including ‘Achieving Security and Cooperation in a Fractured World’, ‘Creating Growth and Jobs for a New Era’, ‘Artificial Intelligence as a Driving Force for the Economy and Society’, and ‘A Long-Term Strategy for Climate, Nature and Energy.’

Experts and leaders gathered at WEF will be asked to work together to address the critical need to restore global trust at three basic levels; into our future; within societies; and among nations.

RCU’s participation at WEF is aligned with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s developmental goals, which form part of Vision 2030, the Saudi Green Initiative, and long-term goals to deliver the latest economic, touristic, and sustainability-focused actions and solutions in AlUla and beyond.

ENDS