RIYADH, 2 January 2005 — The government will impose tighter rules and restrictions in order to protect and restore rare architectural and heritage sites.
The government, which is awaiting the final draft from the Shoura Council of the rules governing the tourism and heritage sector, is also discussing the option of penalizing people for the wanton destruction of rare historical sites or buildings in the country.
This was revealed by Prince Sultan ibn Salman, secretary-general of the Supreme Commission for Tourism (SCT), at a press conference here yesterday. The conference was convened to announce the institution of an award for architectural heritage under the aegis of Al-Turath Foundation, a nonprofit organization established by Prince Sultan himself with a mandate to preserve antiquities.
The briefing was also attended by Riyadh Mayor Prince Abdul Aziz ibn Muhammad ibn Ayyaf Al-Muqrin and Professor Saad Abdul Aziz Al-Rashid, deputy minister for antiquities.
Speaking about the destruction of some historical and Islamic sites in Saudi Arabia as reported in the past, Prince Sultan said: “We have gone through enough destruction in the past. We will not allow it any longer. In fact, the government is now committed to protecting the rare sites and buildings of archaeological and historical importance. The government has already allocated SR300 million for the restoration or, I may say, revival of the famous old Dirriyah historical village near the capital city.”
At the moment, there are some 1,679 archaeological sites, 143 historical sites and 184 sites related to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The sites have been documented by the SCT.
Spelling out the details of the new prize, Prince Sultan said: “This award will help promote awareness about the architectural heritage and the importance of preserving it.”
The award — called “Prince Sultan ibn Salman Award for Architectural Heritage” — will be presented in three fields — research related to architectural heritage, use of architectural heritage in new designs and heritage restoration and rehabilitation.
The prince said the award is the first initiative to generate greater awareness about the preservation of architectural sites and buildings. It will be given away every two years. Candidates interested in obtaining information on applying for the award should contact Al-Turath Foundation.
The prince said: “The government is exerting more efforts to restore historical sites and recently we sent some 25 municipal officials to the Italian city of Tuscany on a week-long familiarization trip during which the officials learnt about how the Italians restored the old historical sites and even the whole ancient cities.”
On the role of municipalities in ensuring protection for rare architectural sites, Prince Al-Ayyaf reaffirmed his commitment to work closely with Prince Sultan, saying that “new regulations to be announced soon will help to streamline this sector.” He said Al-Turath has been organizing cultural and educational activities that stress the importance of national heritage.
