As a country that boasts rich cultural heritage, Saudi Arabia has made remarkable milestones towards preserving its heritage, promoting its culture sector and establishing itself as a beacon for global tourism.
Aiming to become a global cultural hub, the Kingdom has signed several key agreements and partnerships over the past years to boost its cultural sector. Most recently, Saudi Arabia signed a number of landmark agreements with the UK and France to foster stronger cultural and tourism relations with the two European countries.
Partnership with UK
On December 9, 2024, Saudi Arabia and the UK signed a number of deals to promote culture, heritage and tourism, boosting Saudi Arabia’s ambitions to become a global tourist destination. The deals came during the UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, visit to Saudi Arabia.
Under the first partnership deal, the UK government-sponsored Historic England will collaborate with the Saudi Heritage Commission in the field of cultural heritage and conservation. Experts from both countries will exchange expertise and skills to help in the preservation of cultural landmarks in Saudi Arabia.
According to the UK Government’s press release, this partnership will contribute to promoting the best practices of conservation among heritage experts in both countries. The agreement will allow Saudi Arabia to leverage Historic England’s expertise in conservation, restoration and rehabilitation of heritage buildings and monuments. The British body will also help in developing a new strategy for protecting Saudi Arabia’s industrial heritage.
Boosting AlUla’s Growth
Both Saudi Arabia and the UK agreed on increasing expertise exchange on heritage and museum infrastructure. This includes launching a new executive program to strengthen UK’s engagement in the development of AlUla.
To this end, the second partnership deal involves a tripartite collaboration between the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) and two British ministries, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department of Business and Trade, to foster AlUla’s educational, cultural and investment landscapes to increase the number of inbound visitors, upskill the local community, and promote the city around the world.
Extending for 5 years, the partnership with AlUla includes enhancing cooperation and sharing knowledge and expertise across the fields of tourism, hospitality and heritage preservation, as well as in creative sectors such as music, theater, cinema and fashion. The RCU goal is to attract 2 million tourists per year to AlUla by 2035, and generate $32bn in revenues.
On this occasion, the British Prime Minister said: “I’m pleased the UK is forging new partnerships with Saudi Arabia to protect the cultural heritage of AlUla by harnessing British expertise. Through deeper economic ties with key partners such as Saudi Arabia, we can unlock growth and new opportunities both at home and abroad.”
Furthermore, the RCU announced a new collaboration with the British Council as it marks its 90th anniversary. The agreement aims to bolster cooperation in culture, training and research, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
Strengthening Saudi-French Cultural Ties
Earlier in December, Saudi Arabia boosted its cultural cooperation with France by signing multiple agreements during the visit of the French President, Emmanuel Macron, to the Kingdom. The Saudi Minister of Culture, Prince Badr bin Farhan, and his French counterpart, Rachida Dati, signed executive programs with leading French cultural institutions to enhance cultural cooperation.
The executive programs aim to bolster collaboration in fields related to heritage, museums, films, libraries and other cultural sectors. They are designed to foster cultural exchange, mutual understanding and innovation in areas such as heritage preservation, archaeological research, creative industries, manuscripts, and cinema.
According to SPA, the executive programs were signed with the following institutions: National Monuments Center; Operator of Heritage and Cultural Real Estate Projects; French National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research; Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Creation Industrielle; National Library of France; Grand Palais; National Center for Cinema and the Moving Image; National Institute of Cultural Heritage of France; and The National School of Photography of Arles.
Villa Hegra Project
During a tour in AlUla, as part of his recent visit to Saudi Arabia, the French President launched the Villa Hegra Project, a strategic partnership between the RCU and the French Agency for AlUla Development. It is the first Saudi-French cultural institution in the Kingdom, aiming to enhance cultural collaboration through cooperation and creativity, empowering communities and fostering dialogue.
The promising initiative includes a series of ambitious projects that harness French expertise in research, arts, tourism, innovation, training and sustainable development, according to SPA. The Villa Hegra Project carries a great potential to transform AlUla into a global hub for cultural creativity and dialogue.
AlUla, located northwest of Saudi Arabia, boasts a great cultural significance. It is home to Hegra, Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site that stands as a testament to the ancient Nabataean civilization. The ancient oasis city has become a popular destination for local and international tourists by hosting festivals and events that celebrate AlUla’s rich history and cultural heritage.
Saudi-French Joint Projects
Under the partnership between Saudi Arabia and France, the Kingdom will contribute €50mn to the restoration of the Pompidou Centre, valued at €262mn, the Culture Ministers of both countries announced earlier this month. The renovation process involves the removal of asbestos and improved accessibility, in addition to establishing a new experimental youth section and making the Pompidou building more eco-friendly, reported Euro News.
Future cultural cooperation between Saudi Arabia and France includes establishing a photography museum in Riyadh, in collaboration with the Arles National School of Photography. The new projects also include a museum dedicated to the Incense Road in AlUla, as well as loaning French artworks to Saudi museums and helping in restoring Saudi heritage sites.
Saudi Arabia and France have engaged in many cultural projects, most notably the landmark AlUla Project, launched in 2018, to transform AlUla into a premier tourist destination while preserving its rich cultural heritage and historical legacy.
Moreover, both countries signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in 2021 to enhance cultural cooperation and exchange across a wide range of cultural fields, including architecture, audiovisual production, design, film, heritage, literature, performing arts and visual arts.
The 5-year agreement also included increasing the participation of Saudi and French artists in residency exchange programs and enhancing cooperation between artists and cultural institutions from both countries.
