RIYADH: Students of various standards participated in “Live Saudi Arabia,” a summer program, which was intended to bring them closer to national cultural landmarks.

The program, according to the students, struck a sentimental chord within them, leading them to conclude that “the summer program made us feel closer to our homeland.”

At least 40 students from Prince Sultan Social Center participated in the trip arranged by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTNH), which allowed them to get better acquainted with the tourist and cultural landmarks across the Kingdom, while also introducing them to the local people at each destination, an SCTNH official said on Thursday.

The Hail to Al-Ula historical tour by bus included interaction among students and local residents, as well as visits to Al-Hijir site (Madain Saleh), Al Hijaz Railways Station and a number of Al-Ula Summer events, visiting the historic town, the urban heritage center, and meeting with SCTNH officials at the historic sites. The students also visited Al-Khoraiba antiquities, Dadan Kingdom, looked at the inscriptions of Akma mountain, visited Al-Ula sport club and met with its officials, while also learning about the excavation works being carried out by the SCTNH in the area.

Commenting on the historical trip, the students said that it was good to spend quality time learning about the historical sites of the Kingdom during the summer break.

Signifying the importance of the program in the enhancement of students sense of belonging to the homeland, they pointed out that their historic, tourist and cultural information about the homeland has increased immensely because of the trip, adding that they greatly benefited from the learning experience as the trip enriched their knowledge.

According to the SCTNH, the tour program targets secondary school and university students with the aim of enhancing their sense of national belonging. The programs during the trip also included visiting a number of provincial officials who informed the students of their efforts in developing the Kingdom and preserving the country’s unification and security.

The program also included visits to archaeological sites, national museums, heritage towns and urban heritage sites in order to identify more of the Kingdom’s cultural heritage.

Besides organizing nationwide trips, the program also includes participating in and organizing exhibitions, training courses and workshops, as well as social programs and ‘Live Saudi Arabia’ contests.

Notably, in order to execute the program effectively, the SCTNH entered into cooperation agreements with the King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives (Dara), the Ministry of Education, the Saudi Commission for Sports, Saudi Aramco, Saudi Airlines (Saudia) and leading tour operators.