AlUla archaeology conference to explore challenges, future of nomadic societies

AlUla archaeology conference to explore challenges, future of nomadic societies
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The conference, set to alternate with the AlUla World Archaeology Summit year after year, will bring together researchers and experts in archaeology and cultural heritage from around the world. (SPA)
AlUla archaeology conference to explore challenges, future of nomadic societies
2 / 3
The conference, set to alternate with the AlUla World Archaeology Summit year after year, will bring together researchers and experts in archaeology and cultural heritage from around the world. (SPA)
AlUla archaeology conference to explore challenges, future of nomadic societies
3 / 3
The conference, set to alternate with the AlUla World Archaeology Summit year after year, will bring together researchers and experts in archaeology and cultural heritage from around the world. (SPA)
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AlUla archaeology conference to explore challenges, future of nomadic societies

AlUla archaeology conference to explore challenges, future of nomadic societies

RIYADH: The Royal Commission for AlUla will host a global archaeology conference addressing the future of archaeology and the heritage of nomadic societies on Oct. 30-31.

The conference, set to alternate with the AlUla World Archaeology Summit year after year, will bring together researchers and experts in archaeology and cultural heritage from around the world.

Held at Maraya, the world’s largest mirrored building, nestled amid the striking landscape of AlUla, the event will consist of presentations, dialogues, workshops and case studies. It will showcase a collection of archaeological artifacts discovered in AlUla.

The conference will highlight the essential role of mobility in shaping the world today.

Since prehistoric times, mobility has been the means to access new opportunities, improve living conditions, explore and address environmental challenges, and escape natural disasters and social and political instabilities.

While mobility remains challenging for some, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic’s movement restrictions at the time, the conference provides an opportunity to shed light on aspects of mobility and nomadic societies, challenging traditional assumptions about mobility in the past and present.

The conference will focus on the fundamental role of prehistoric mobility, when movement was the primary means to reach areas with new opportunities and seek life chances. Caravan mobility served as a means to address environmental challenges and natural disasters.

At a time when mobility remains a challenge, the conference offers an opportunity to illuminate different facets of mobility and nomadic societies.

Royal Commission for AlUla Vice President of Culture Abdulrahman Alsuhaibani said that the conference aimed to provide an advanced and pioneering platform for dialogue and collaboration, and would alternate with the summit the following year.

The commission, he said, sought to maintain the momentum generated by the summit last year through the conference, while preparing for AlUla World Archaeology Summit in 2025.

Alsuhaibani said that AlUla was one of the most active regions in the world for archaeological exploration, with more than 30,000 archaeological sites identified and 12 search projects in its rich cultural landscape.

“AlUla has held a unique position for thousands of years as a crossroads for civilizations, serving as a beacon for cultural and intellectual exchange,” Alsuhaibani said.

Key speakers at the conference include Professor Willeke Wendrich from the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures at the University of California, Los Angeles, archaeology Professor Stefano Biagetti from the Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona, Spain, and Peter Debrine, leader of Sustainable Tourism Programme at UNESCO World Heritage Center in Paris.

Research overseen by the Royal Commission for AlUla by Saudi and international archaeologists has shed light on various highlights of AlUla’s history through the ages, including the massive stone structures known as “mustatil” (rectangle in Arabic).

Among the wonders are the ancient stone-built traps for animals, known as “desert kites,” the long “funerary avenues” that connected oases and pastures through corridors lined with tombs, and the dwellings known as the “standing stone circles.”

Studies indicate that early societies in the northwestern Arabian Peninsula were more complex and interconnected with the broader region than previously believed.

The conference is anticipated to host the first global exhibition featuring archaeological pieces from the National Archaeological Museum of Naples in Italy.

The agenda also includes field visits to prominent archaeological sites in AlUla and surrounding areas of note, including Tayma and Khaybar.


Kingdom to boost public security with 3 new initiatives

Kingdom to boost public security with 3 new initiatives
Updated 13 min 59 sec ago
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Kingdom to boost public security with 3 new initiatives

Kingdom to boost public security with 3 new initiatives
  • Programs includes modern police stations, tech-equipped vehicles, automated criminal investigation procedures 

RIYADH: The General Directorate of Public Security has launched three new initiatives aimed at enhancing security operations and services offered to citizens, residents and visitors, the Saudi Press Agency reported. 

The directorate shared details about the initiatives which were launched by Minister of Interior Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif under the Quality of Life Program, one of the key projects of Saudi Vision 2030. 

The Leading Police Stations initiative aims to establish facilities with a modern identity and design, and equip mobile units for events and new residential neighborhoods. 

Programs includes modern police stations, tech-equipped vehicles, automated criminal investigation procedures (SPA)

The Security Equipment initiative focuses on equipping vehicles and electronic gates with technology that automatically recognizes license plates and individuals. It includes the installation of the latest security surveillance cameras to monitor the roads of neighborhoods.

The Ammn Platform Development initiative aims to automate criminal investigation procedures. The plan is to develop one data platform integrated with a unified call center. This would allow for the exchange of case-related information and the analysis of crime data.

The initiatives aim to increase the effectiveness of security coverage, keep pace with urban expansion, and ensure coordination and integration among relevant authorities.


KSrelief medical volunteers help amputees, cardiac patients in Ukraine, Tanzania

KSrelief medical volunteers help amputees, cardiac patients in Ukraine, Tanzania
Updated 37 min 28 sec ago
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KSrelief medical volunteers help amputees, cardiac patients in Ukraine, Tanzania

KSrelief medical volunteers help amputees, cardiac patients in Ukraine, Tanzania

RIYADH: A team of medical volunteers affiliated with Saudi aid agency KSrelief concluded on Sunday a project to fit prosthetic limbs for Ukrainian refugees in Rzeszow, Poland.

The project ran from Sept. 23 to 29, 2024.

KSrelief’s medical team fitted prosthetic limbs for 21 beneficiaries during the campaign.

Meanwhile, a team of volunteers in Tanzania conducted 30 successful cardiac operations for children from Sept. 4 to 14.

The effort was part of a voluntary medical project to provide cardiac surgery and catheterization for children in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.


Tech initiative launched to support startups, digital growth

Tech initiative launched to support startups, digital growth
Updated 59 min 29 sec ago
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Tech initiative launched to support startups, digital growth

Tech initiative launched to support startups, digital growth

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology has launched the Tech Talent Hub initiative in collaboration with recruitment and human resources companies to offer services and benefits to technology startups and digital talent.

The initiative aims to support the tech sector and boost the growth of the digital economy, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

The ministry seeks to accelerate the growth of tech startups by providing comprehensive support for advanced HR services, enabling these companies to reach their full potential and actively contribute to the development of the tech sector, in line with Saudi Vision 2030 aspirations for a sustainable and prosperous future.

The initiative will provide HR services such as recruitment, hiring, outsourcing, HR systems, consulting, skills assessments, and more.

The collaborating companies will empower tech sector beneficiaries, including companies and skilled professionals, to leverage the available resources.


Cultural showcase unites Saudi, Pakistani communities in Jeddah

Cultural showcase unites Saudi, Pakistani communities in Jeddah
Updated 01 October 2024
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Cultural showcase unites Saudi, Pakistani communities in Jeddah

Cultural showcase unites Saudi, Pakistani communities in Jeddah

JEDDAH: The Consulate General of Pakistan recently organized a joint event to celebrate the national days of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.

The event, organized in collaboration with the Pakistan Investors Forum, aimed to strengthen Pakistan-Saudi ties, and highlight shared cultural and social values.

High-profile diplomats, entrepreneurs, community members, and media representatives from both countries attended the event, which was held at a grand banquet hall in Jeddah.

The event began with the national anthems of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. An art exhibition showcased the shared cultural heritage.

Consul General Khalid Majid emphasized art and culture’s role in diplomacy, noting the unique bilateral relations based on strong religious, cultural, and socioeconomic ties.

He praised King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman’s contributions to regional peace and stability.

Pakistan Investors Forum Chairman Shafqat Chaudhary highlighted the Pakistani business community’s role in Saudi Arabia’s development and praised the Kingdom’s leadership.

The event featured cultural performances by Pakistani and Saudi artists, and concluded with a cake-cutting ceremony.


KSA, Kuwait sign MoU to boost cultural cooperation

KSA, Kuwait sign MoU to boost cultural cooperation
Updated 01 October 2024
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KSA, Kuwait sign MoU to boost cultural cooperation

KSA, Kuwait sign MoU to boost cultural cooperation

RIYADH: Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan and Kuwait’s Minister of Information and Culture and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Abdulrahman bin Bedah Al-Mutairi met at the Riyadh International Book Fair.

They emphasized the strong historical ties between the two countries and the importance of cultural collaboration under the Saudi-Kuwaiti Coordination Council.

The ministers signed a memorandum of understanding to enhance cultural cooperation between Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture and Kuwait’s National Council for Culture, Arts and Literature.

The MoU covers collaboration in heritage, architecture, design, museums, visual arts, theater, literature, publishing, translation, fashion, culinary arts and film, as well as sharing expertise, participating in festivals and cultural events.

As UNESCO members, they will coordinate agreements and contribute to strategic cultural projects, establish artistic residencies, and implement heritage preservation projects.

Kuwait’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Sabah Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, also attended the meeting.