‘KSA moving ahead on heritage preservation’

Prince Sultan bin Salman, chairman of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities, told an audience at a UNESCO conference that Saudi Arabia is investing in its national heritage as “a principal part of future development.”
Prince Sultan made his remarks at the Culture: Key to Sustainable Development conference organized by UNESCO and hosted by China that began yesterday and runs through Friday in Hungzo.
“Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and the crown prince emphasize the importance of the conservation of the national heritage and investing in it for the interest of the nation and its economy and it is a principal part of future development.”
The conference was attended by the UNESCO Secretary-General Ayrana Bavokov and Karim Agha Khan, head of the Agha Khan Establishment and Nobel Prize winner in Economics Hassan Al-Abed. Also in attendance was Secretary-General of the UN Commercial and Development Conference Peter Dargnov.
Prince Sultan said the Kingdom is witnessing greater attention as part of world heritage, especially since the Saudi government is taking care to make its social, economic and cultural development as part of a five-year development plan.
The government has a comprehensive national program to rediscover national culture, its renovation, development and to make it as an essential part of citizens in the local national economy.
He told the audience that the government has invested heavily in its heritage sites, increasing attention to the heritage resource as the principle part of sustainable development.