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The AlUla project lies at the core of the Saudi kingdom’s aspirations for growth and change. The project’s objective is to transform this remarkable location, which dates back a thousand years, into a cultural and tourism attraction that represents the future of Arabia.
The old caravan settlement of Hegra may be found tucked away at the entrance to a desert valley, encircled by sandstone massifs of ochre and red, and surrounded by beautiful oasis. These include hydraulic systems, shrines, the gigantic necropolis of Madain Salah that was cut out of the rock, palm groves that stretch as far as the eye can see, and more
The history of the Nabataean civilization, whose dominion spanned from Sinai to the western side of the Red Sea, is a fascinating and little-known history. All of these traces bore evidence to this history despite the fact that they are located in an area that is the size of Belgium.
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The tiny sister of Petra flourished and became wealthy as a result of the use of its groundwater and the commerce in frankincense and myrrh. Petra was located at the intersection of the routes that connected Egypt, Mesopotamia, and the eastern beaches of the Mediterranean.
A neighboring country to the kingdom of Judea, which also endured a similar destiny – Roman conquest and obliteration via a change of name – the Nabataean kingdom eventually vanished in the second century after the common era. Hegra was overshadowed by Medina, which grew as a cultural and religious hub by the time Islam formed in the sixth century. Medina attracted pilgrims alongside Mecca, which was the most important religious destination at the time. For many years, the Saudi royal, which is responsible for protecting the sacred cities, concealed the fact that the place existed.
As a result of the site’s exceptional natural and cultural importance, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designated it as a World Heritage Site in the year 2008. The monarchy is committed to sharing its archaeological and epigraphic heritage with the scientific community as part of its partnership with the United Nations agency. As part of this commitment, the monarchy has extended an invitation to academics and archaeologists from all over the world to engage in the study of the open-air library of inscriptions that are located on the cliffs and rocks of Jabal Ikmah.
A major conservation and study initiative that was partially funded by a special royal commission has discovered the progressive progression of Nabataean languages towards Classical Arabic. This has provided a clearer understanding of the linguistic and civilizational interactions that occurred during the time in question. As a consequence of this, people from all over the globe, both locally and globally, are given the opportunity to reacquaint themselves with a significant portion of the memory of the Arab world before the advent of Islam.
The phrase “The Wonder of Arabia” serves as a symbol of Vision 2030.
The monarchy’s aspirations for modernization and economic change are centered on AlUla, which is very important to them. It is a flagship initiative and a crucial lever for shifting away from dependency on oil by concentrating on a new tourist industry that is secular and worldwide in nature. At the same time, it is a vital aspect of “Vision 2030,” which is championed by Crown Prince Mohamed Ben Salman.
Saudi Arabia and France inked their first intergovernmental agreement in 2018, which was for the establishment of an agency that would be exclusively committed to the development of AlUla’s cultural and tourist industry. This agency would be called Afula.
According to Afula, the company’s objective is to “invent a new tourist experience, faithful to the hospitality of the Arab world, at once cultural (archaeological trails, museums), sensory (discovery of grandiose landscapes, the desert, the oasis) and authentic (in contact with local culture)” , while simultaneously establishing sustainable development as its foundation: “AlUla aspires to become(…) a benchmark project in sustainable development, focused on the absolute preservation of the environment, respectful of history, territories and inclusive of the local population.”
In point of fact, climatic change has had an effect on the original biodiversity of the site, as shown by the inscriptions of extinct animals like as giraffes, lions, and ostriches that are found on some of the graves.
The Sharaan, which is a luxury hotel designed by the architect Jean Nouvel, who has already demonstrated his worth with the Louvre Abu Dhabi, artists’ residences, the rehabilitation of the medina that was abandoned in the 1980s, a contemporary art museum in partnership with the Centre Pompidou, archaeological missions, modern transportation that is both environmentally friendly and innovative, and the hosting of business delegations…
There are a great number of monumental accomplishments and goals that are planned for the years to come. A symbol that has the ability to serve as a tool for national outreach and soft power, AlUla is more than simply an emblem. Not only is the “Wonder of Arabia” an example of collaboration and transmission, but it is also an inspiration for both the area and mankind as a whole. This is because it has been able to mobilize a broad spectrum of devoted participants in support of its resuscitation.
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