UNESCO Partnership | The Royal Commission for AlUla

A Longstanding Partnership

The cooperation between Saudi Arabia and UNESCO dates back to 1946 when Saudi Arabia first endorsed the UNESCO constitution, initiating a longstanding partnership. This relationship has seen significant milestones, such as Hegra in AlUla becoming Saudi Arabia’s first World Heritage Site in 2008. Additionally, Saudi Arabia’s active participation in UNESCO’s Executive Committee and the Intangible Cultural Heritage Committee has strengthened this partnership.

Within this context, RCU has designed and activated a cross-sectoral strategic partnership with UNESCO centred around five pillars: UNESCO Heritage Programmes, KSA Leadership, Sustainable Development, Knowledge and Capacity Building, and Communications and Visibility. UNESCO and RCU have signed a pioneering agreement that opens a new chapter for cultural cooperation for the protection and promotion of the site’s cultural, natural, and documentary heritage.

Five-year Agreement

In 2021, a five-year partnership agreement was signed at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, aligning with the Saudi Vision 2030 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This partnership grants access to UNESCO’s global network and expertise, significantly benefiting AlUla’s development as a premier heritage site and tourism destination.

A Strong Foundation for Success

RCU’s Partnerships Department is crucial in advancing the RCU-UNESCO partnership, overseeing stakeholder engagement, strategic direction, and programme implementation. One initiative involved updating our sector teams on heritage components, leveraging UNESCO’s knowledge base. In 2022, RCU’s proactive cross-sector teams made substantial progress on various initiatives across the five collaborative pillars.