Global recognition of rich cultural heritage

RIYADH: Inclusion of the Hail rock art in the UNESCO World Heritage List is proof of the Kingdom’s status and cultural profoundness, said the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTNH) on Monday.

Reacting to the announcement of the fourth site in the Kingdom to be added to the UNESCO heritage list after Madain Saleh, the Turaif neighborhood in historic Al-Diriyah earlier, and historic Jeddah last year, Prince Sultan bin Salman, SCTNH) president, termed the inclusion as proof of the rich cultural profoundness, further asserting that the new entry will be of great benefit to the Kingdom in general and to Hail province in particular as it will provide a great tourist attraction and will further help promote tourism.
Prince Sultan considered the consensus of UNESCO committee members, representing 22 countries, on the importance of the site and necessity of its registration in the World Heritage List, as recognition of Kingdom’s deep-rooted history and heritage.
Prince Sultan also applauded the significant collective efforts of citizens from the Hail region who helped in the preservation and care of the national heritage treasure.
“Their unconditional support and cooperation with SCTNH is very important and is in the very interest of the current and the coming generations of the Kingdom,” he said.
He further pointed out that in order to promote tourism in the region, SCTNH has established a number of visitor centers on the site and increased staff members of these centers to help visitors with required information and related assistance.
For this special recognition in the World Heritage List, Prince Sultan congratulated Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman on such an international achievement and expressed gratitude to King Salman for his great support and persistent care for the national heritage and its preservation by launching the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Program for the Care of the Kingdom’s Cultural Heritage as a key source for preserving the rich culture and history of the Kingdom and highlighting values of deep-rooted heritage for the whole world.
Hail province is incredibly rich in rock art, with major and minor sites sprinkled over much of its territory. It includes two major components situated in a desert landscape: Jabel Umm Sinman at the Jibah site, which is located about 80 km inside Hail Nafud which is full of rock inscriptions and drawings; and the Jabal Al-Manjor and Raat Al-Shwimis site located on the southwest part of the province about 270 km from the city of Hail.
The rock drawings include animal and human figures dating back to different historical periods.