AlUla Archaeology Summit: Bridging Past and Future

• Hashim Sheikh
• . September 13, 2023
• . Update: September 13, 2023 1:15 pm
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The first AlUla World Archaeology Summit, scheduled for September 13–15, 2023, in the historic oasis city of AlUla, Saudi Arabia, represents a significant advancement in heritage protection and international knowledge exchange. This summit, which was put together by the Royal Commission for AlUla, has the potential to become a model for interdisciplinary cooperation, opening up new opportunities for archaeological research, cultural understanding, and problem-solving on a worldwide scale.

AlUla’s Rich Archaeological Tapestry

Northwestern Saudi Arabia’s AlUla is home to a diverse collection of archaeological gems that date from the Neolithic to the early 20th century. This region is the appropriate location for this summit due to its historical significance as a crossroads for numerous ancient cultures and a major global trade route connecting East and West.

The Importance of Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration

The summit’s distinctive characteristic is its wide range of speakers, a total of 60 experts from a variety of industries, including media, entrepreneurship, archaeology, and cultural heritage. The choice to refer to it as a “summit” instead of a simple conference highlights the wide range of knowledge that attendees bring to the table.

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Themes and Objectives

The summit’s four main themes are accessibility, identity, resilience, and ruinscapes. It will examine how cultural legacy and its influence on the formation of our shared humanity can change and reshape ideas of identity, developing a greater knowledge of cultural heritage. Additionally, it seeks to solve modern problems from an archaeological viewpoint, emphasizing the value of archaeology in doing so.

Archaeology as a Catalyst for Global Understanding

Our grasp of human history has already been greatly expanded by the archaeological findings at AlUla. As a result, this summit will further advance our understanding of the past and promote international cooperation and dialogue. It has the potential to revolutionize the field by facilitating collaboration between archaeologists and experts from different fields.

Aligning with Vision 2030 and Global Engagement

The AlUla World Archaeology Summit supports Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which emphasizes diversification outside of the oil industry, including scholarly investigation, environmental protection, and heritage tourism. The fact that the Kingdom is also hosting the 45th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee highlights its growing importance as a center for important talks and cultural events.

The AlUla World Archaeology Summit is more than a simple convocation of specialists; it stands for dedication to safeguarding our common human history, encouraging interdisciplinary cooperation, and tackling global issues. This initial event has the potential to have a lasting impact on the archaeological landscape of the world and on how we as a society see the past.