The 4th National Urban Heritage Forum (NUHF) will kick-off on Monday in the picturesque locality of Abha under the patronage of Prince Faisal bin Khalid, governor of Asir region and chairman of the provincial tourism development council.

Blessed with spectacular mountains, scenic beauty, a cool climate and fertile soil, Abha is a popular holiday destination in the Kingdom.

The opening ceremony will be attended by Prince Sultan bin Salman, president of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA), an official said.

The Prince Sultan bin Salman award for urban heritage will be announced on the sidelines of the forum on Monday under the patronage of Asir governor and in the presence of the SCTA president.

The forum will be held from Dec. 1 to 4 and will witness a large number of events, exhibitions, activities and workshops on urban heritage.

“The forum will feature a major exhibition in which many public and private organizations will take part,” the official said.

Moreover, several workshops and scientific sessions are scheduled to take place in the forum.

The scientific program of the forum includes eight sessions and nine workshops, during which national and international experts will highlight a number of themes related to urban heritage.

Prince Sultan is most likely to speak on the government’s care of the national cultural heritage in a workshop entitled “King Abdullah Project for Caring of Cultural Heritage of the Kingdom” to be held on the subsequent day at King Khalid University in Abha.

The official opening ceremony of the forum and major exhibition and accompanied events will be held at Al-Moftaha Heritage Village.

Commenting on the arrangements Meshari Al-Naeem, general supervisor at the National Urban Heritage Center and head of the organizing committee of the forum, said the four-day forum will see marked improvement when Al-Moftaha heritage village in Asir, the capital of Abha, will host the forum and its accompanied events.

Apart from Al-Moftaha heritage village, Rejal Alma village will witness the opening of the “Visitors center”, the inauguration of the “VIP Visitor Hall”, a dinner gala in Al-Aos Park, said SCTA, which is organizing the forum in collaboration with the Asir Governorate, Asir Municipality, and King Khalid University and the Asir Youth Council.

Moreover, Al-Namas Municipality will witness the foundation stone laying ceremony of Tharban Palace, and an operetta show.