In the first partnership of its kind for the Saudi historic site, the Royal Commission for AlUla and the Italian Municipality of Matera have signed a twinning agreement to further safeguard their cultural heritage. The two UNESCO sites have pledged to foster shared prosperity and sustainability through cultural exchanges, joint initiatives, and a broad exchange of knowledge across multiple cooperation domains.
AlUla and Matera share both a contemporary role as custodians of cultural conservation and a historical role as beacons of civilization. AlUla’s narrative spans back 200,000 years, with ongoing habitation evident from at least 7,000 years ago, including the era of the Dadanite, Lihyanite, and Nabataean Kingdoms, before transitioning under Roman dominion in 106 AD. AlUla’s heritage sites, such as Jabal Ikmah, referred to as an ‘open-air library’, and the 12th-century AlUla Old Town, stand as testaments to its storied past. Matera boasts an equally venerable history of human habitation stretching back to the Paleolithic era, renowned for its Sassi—ancient cave dwellings carved into the rocky landscape.
The partnership was formalised in a ceremony at Matera’s Sassi di Matera, which was recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site 30 years ago. In a parallel of historical and cultural significance, Hegra in AlUla, carved by the Nabataean Kingdom over two millennia ago, echoes Matera’s heritage as Saudi Arabia’s inaugural UNESCO World Heritage Site since 15 years past.
The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) and the city of Matera are set to collaborate across several pillars, enhancing cultural, educational, economic, and social ties between the two heritage-rich destinations.
In the words of Waleed Al Dayel, RCU’s Chief Strategy and Digital Officer, “The agreement with Matera supports our efforts to create a global destination in ways that benefit the AlUla community, economy and environment, provide opportunities for residents of both cities to learn about different cultures, build personal connections and explore shared challenges and opportunities.
“The partnership will reimagine the ways in which destinations connect the culturally curious to history and heritage, as we continue to share Saudi Arabia’s culture with the world and understand the significance of the Arabian Peninsula in human history.”
Tiziana D’Oppido, Council for Culture, Tourism, Events, Sassi UNESCO World Heritage site, Equal Opportunities of the City of Matera, remarked, “The exact date of the thirtieth anniversary since Matera became a UNESCO World Heritage Site has been the best possible day to highlight the twinning agreement between the Royal Commission for AlUla and the Municipality of Matera.
“The activities calendar that we will carry out in synergy, with a great, mutual collaborative spirit and in compliance with the sustainability objectives of the two destinations in the conservation of their respective UNESCO sites is ambitious, operational and rich: culture as an engine of the economy, tourism, cinema, events, design, arts, archaeology, architecture, accessibility, Sassi as a successful urban ecosystem and much more for two geographically distant realities but having many elements in common.
“Matera, European Capital of Culture in 2019, is a case study for the ability to recover the value of a city that the world has long neglected, and which risked being abandoned and forgotten by history, just like AlUla, becoming instead, both, a land of redemption and virtuous examples to follow.”
This partnership is a facet of a more extensive collaboration between AlUla and Italy, marked by cultural events such as the Saudi Village cultural gathering in Rome, and educational initiatives for Saudi students in heritage conservation at the Centro Conservazione e Restauro La Venaria Reale.
Furthermore, in Venice, May 2023 saw the signing of a Saudi-Italian accord aimed at fostering cooperation in areas such as archaeology, conservation, restoration, cultural heritage protection, film, and literature. The agreement, which came into effect in November of the same year, was signed by HH Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al Saud and Italian Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano, encapsulating AlUla’s strategic vision for sustainable, community-focused tourism and development.
Besides its profound historical and cultural significance, AlUla is emerging as a distinguished arts destination, celebrated for its integration of art within the natural landscape. AlUla’s year-round calendar of diverse events makes it a lively destination for visitors seeking music, wellness, culture, adventure, and sporting events, alongside the tranquility offered by its new luxury resorts nestled amidst dramatic geological formations.
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Photo top of page: A scenic sunset view of an ancient carved tomb of Hegra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site – photo STA
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