JEDDAH, 5 November 2006 — A team of Saudi academics specializing in archaeology and museums paid a visit to the United Kingdom recently as part of a cultural week organized by the Saudi Embassy in London in collaboration with the Royal Scottish Museum and the Royal British Museum.

The team, headed by Dr. Saad Al-Rashid, former deputy minister of education for archaeology and museums’ affairs, conducted a number of meetings with archaeology experts in London and Edinburgh. The team also participated in lectures on archaeology and its development in Saudi Arabia.

Al-Rashid said that the visit aims to tighten cultural relations between the two countries in addition to the exchange of experience with British experts in fields relating to museums and archaeology.

He said that the Kingdom has gone a long way in developing these areas and formed a huge databank about historical sites in the country.

Al-Rashid added that there are 13 various archaeological and cultural museums that include relics and cultural monuments from across the Kingdom.

He pointed out that the team endeavored to exhibit the Kingdom’s efforts in preserving historical sites that included Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah’s recent announcement to add the historical part of Jeddah, Al-Diriyah in Riyadh and Madain Saleh, north of Madinah, to the list of international heritage sites.

Al-Rashid emphasized the importance of the exchange saying that the Kingdom would use the expertise of British archaeologists to help add certain sites in the Kingdom to the international list of archaeological sites.

The Kingdom is rich with historical sites that are older than the Islamic period and that this diversity makes the country distinguished with an abundance and priceless wealth of historical artifacts, he said.