The Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) recently held a meeting to begin preparations for the fourth Urban Heritage Forum, which is scheduled to take place in December in Asir province.

During the meeting, tasks and responsibilities were assigned to members of the organizing committee, an SCTA official said Thursday. He added that the forum is expected to witness qualitative progress in terms of programs, activities and events.

Participants in the meeting also raised a number of ideas, which they wish to submit to the forum’s supreme steering committee during its upcoming meeting next week in the presence of Prince Faisal bin Khalid, governor of Asir region, and Prince Sultan bin Salman, SCTA president.

Members suggested the creation of an organizing body to coordinate the participants’ work and stressed the importance of establishing a committee to receive research proposals and manage the forum’s media plan.

SCTA has recently announced the extension of the deadline for submitting research abstracts for the forum to the end of May to allow researchers and experts the chance to participate in the forum.

The Urban Heritage Forum aims to preserve the Kingdom’s culture in general and raise awareness about the country’s rich urban history. The third session of the forum was held in Madinah last year.