Downtown Jeddah has been thrust in the limelight thanks to National Day.

One of the campaigns that took place on the day, entitled “Keep Jeddah Clean,” reminded Saudi youth of their responsibility toward their heritage and their country.

Concerted efforts are being made to get the site listed as a UNESCO’s World Heritage Site.

The National Day celebration was organized by the Society of Architectural Heritage Protection in coordination with the Jeddah Municipality and the Saudi Cultural and Art Society on Saturday.

“Our objective in organizing the National Day celebrations at this historical site was to focus public attention, particularly that of the younger generation, toward our beautiful old city and its importance,” said Al Sharif Ahmed Al-Hijary, president of the Society of Architectural Heritage Protection in Jeddah.

The location was also chosen to give maximum exposure about Jeddah’s heritage and history, he said.

“The message of the mayor is to keep the city clean and understand its importance as a historic and heritage site,” said Al Hijary.

The celebrations took place with historical narratives, traditional dances and songs from the 1950s and 1960s.

Rayan Farid Saka, head of the Art and Cultural Society in Jeddah, said National Day was important for Saudis and expatriates living in the Kingdom and an occasion shed light on the treasures of the country.

Celebrations at the historical ground included traditional Hijazi dances such as the “Musmar,” “Khabaity,” “Thrub Shabi,” “Hijazi” and “Al–Bahri” dances, and folklore and patriotic songs.

The association is working hand-in-hand with the municipality and the SCTA to develop the area. Around SR500 million has been allocated to upgrade the infrastructure of the Jeddah heritage area in the coming five years.

Mohammed B. Boghadadi, project manager of the historical district at Jeddah Municipality, told Arab News that they were implementing projects to restore and maintain the site in order to make it suitable for acquiring world heritage status.

They drew up a five-year future plan for the development of the area for tourists and visitors.

“We have already applied for the budget and are awaiting approval. There are 15 projects which will begin soon. We will then send the file to UNECSCO for registration. The mayor is taking a personal interest in everything we do and we have made improvements to the area. We are going to introduce a lot of facilities for tourists so they can visit the site. The public will witness big changes at this historical site within these five years,” he said.