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AlUla to Host Global Archeologists at Summit

Participants at the AlUla World Archeology Summit will explore how to draw inspiration from the symbolism of the past for the study of the present (Royal Commission for AlUla)
Participants at the AlUla World Archeology Summit will explore how to draw inspiration from the symbolism of the past for the study of the present (Royal Commission for AlUla)
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AlUla to Host Global Archeologists at Summit

Participants at the AlUla World Archeology Summit will explore how to draw inspiration from the symbolism of the past for the study of the present (Royal Commission for AlUla)
Participants at the AlUla World Archeology Summit will explore how to draw inspiration from the symbolism of the past for the study of the present (Royal Commission for AlUla)

The Royal Commission for AlUla Governorate officially announced the list of speakers and participants for the inaugural session of the AlUla World Archeology Summit.
This esteemed event is scheduled to take place on September 13-15 in the magnificent Maraya Hall, featuring a distinguished gathering of experts in archaeology and related fields from both Saudi Arabia and various corners of the world.
The summit aims to foster transcultural discussions and purposeful dialogues among diverse sectors, thereby advancing the realms of archaeological knowledge and beyond.
Moreover, the AlUla World Archeology Summit aims to elevate the fields of archaeology and cultural heritage, promoting them to diverse audiences and inspiring innovative initiatives to address contemporary challenges.
This will be accomplished through four main themes, starting with “Identity,” which will explore the relationship between society and heritage.
Additionally, the summit will delve into the topic of “Archaeological Sites,” seeking to establish connections between location and the cultural environment, to better understand the impact and significance of heritage.
Furthermore, participants will examine how to draw inspiration from the symbolism of the past for contemporary study and to overcome challenges, under the theme of “Resilience.”
The summit will also engage in discussions regarding “Accessibility,” which concerns opening up opportunities for heritage exploration and discussing its intellectual dimensions to formulate shared solutions.
More than 300 experts and enthusiasts in the field of archaeology and cultural heritage, along with 80 speakers, will participate in the summit’s sessions and dialogues.
This event will bring together numerous stakeholders from government institutions, non-governmental organizations, international organizations, and the media who are deeply involved in the sector.
The summit’s focus during its meetings and dialogue sessions is on advancing the field of archaeology, contributing to the increase and activation of archaeological discoveries worldwide.
Speakers and participants are scheduled to engage in exploratory trips to the key heritage sites in AlUla, which will serve as a global platform for scholarly discussions, collaboration, and innovation between archaeological sciences and contemporary global issues in the sector.
The aim is to reach common insights and solutions derived from cultural heritage.
The summit attracts a select group of experts from academia, government, non-governmental organizations, and young scholars representing the next generation of archaeologists.
Its objectives extend beyond enriching the archaeological community and aiding in the preservation of shared history as it opens doors to further knowledge in archaeology and cultural heritage in a broader sense, contributing to transformative changes in society and exploring ways to advance it.

 

 

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Culture

Contemporary Art Museum in AlUla and Centre Pompidou Announce ‘Arduna’ Exhibition This February

The exhibition will feature more than 80 significant artworks by artists from Saudi Arabia, the Middle East and North Africa, and around the world. (SPA)
The exhibition will feature more than 80 significant artworks by artists from Saudi Arabia, the Middle East and North Africa, and around the world. (SPA)
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Contemporary Art Museum in AlUla and Centre Pompidou Announce ‘Arduna’ Exhibition This February

The exhibition will feature more than 80 significant artworks by artists from Saudi Arabia, the Middle East and North Africa, and around the world. (SPA)
The exhibition will feature more than 80 significant artworks by artists from Saudi Arabia, the Middle East and North Africa, and around the world. (SPA)

The exhibition Arduna will welcome visitors to the fifth edition of the AlUla Arts Festival from February 1 to April 15.

Presented by Arts AlUla and organized through a joint curatorial collaboration with Centre Pompidou, with the support of the French Agency for AlUla Development (AFALULA), the exhibition features more than 80 significant artworks by artists from Saudi Arabia, the Middle East and North Africa, and around the world.

Arduna offers visitors an early insight into the artistic vision of the Contemporary Art Museum in AlUla, envisioned as a global institution drawing inspiration from AlUla’s location and heritage as an ancient cultural oasis.

The exhibition is based on works drawn from a growing collection of the Royal Commission for AlUla, alongside important pieces from the collection of the Musée National d’Art Moderne at Centre Pompidou. The exhibition is overseen by co-curator Candida Pestana, with associate curator Ftoon AlThaedi from the Royal Commission for AlUla, and curator Anna Hiddleston with associate curator Noémie Fillon from Centre Pompidou.

As an oasis located along the ancient Incense Trade Routes that connected India and the Arabian Gulf with the Levant and Europe, AlUla served as a safe haven for passing traders, offering protection and tranquility. It was a place where merchants entrusted their goods during their absence, and a space for rest, contemplation, and reflection - a living green garden set within the vast desert.

The exhibition takes the image of the garden as its starting point, drawing inspiration from the site of AlUla to explore how modern and contemporary artists examine the evolving relationship between humanity, nature, and the land.

Featuring more than 80 artworks across multiple disciplines, the exhibition brings together pioneers of modern art such as Pablo Picasso, David Hockney, Joan Mitchell, and Wassily Kandinsky, alongside leading contemporary artists including Saudi artists Ayman Zedani and Manal AlDowayan, as well as artists from the Arab world such as Imran Qureshi, Samia Halaby, and Etel Adnan.

The exhibition is divided into six chapters that explore the multiple manifestations of nature - real and imagined - through a journey that moves from gardens and orchards to deserts and their cosmic reflections.

Through the presentation of impactful and inspiring artworks, the exhibition highlights key global challenges, including the Anthropocene era, the threat of climate change, human displacement, and expanding urbanization.

As artists seek to unpack humanity’s complex and often strained relationship with the environment, the exhibition may be seen as an invitation to reimagine new ways of coexistence among all forms of life.

Arduna also presents a selection of newly commissioned artworks by the Contemporary Art Museum in AlUla, developed through close engagement with the region’s unique natural environment and rich cultural contexts. These include new works by Saudi artist Ayman Zedani and Lebanese artist Tarek Atoui, produced as part of the AlUla Artists Residency Program.

The exhibition further highlights new works that collectively reflect the museum’s central role in fostering artistic practices rooted in dynamic interaction between artists, curators, and local communities, contributing to the development of AlUla’s distinctive creative identity.

Director of Arts and Creative Industries at the Royal Commission for AlUla Hamad Alhomiedan stated that Arduna represents a pivotal moment in the journey of the AlUla Arts Festival and embodies Arts AlUla’s aspiration to position itself at the heart of global discussions on art, culture, and the environment.

He noted that the exhibition brings together exceptional works from Saudi Arabia, the region, and the world, engaging audiences through themes that reflect the collective relationship with nature and land.

Arduna presents bold artistic propositions and offers artists meaningful opportunities to engage with AlUla’s unique heritage and breathtaking landscapes, he added, describing the exhibition as an open celebration of creativity and a foundational step toward establishing AlUla as a sustainable hub for cultural innovation and artistic excellence.

President of Centre Pompidou Laurent Le Bon said the exhibition represents an important step in the partnership with the Royal Commission for AlUla, allowing the public to experience the first outcomes of Centre Pompidou’s strategic advisory role for the forthcoming Contemporary Art Museum in AlUla.

He underlined the shared mission of promoting cultural heritage and fostering long-term cross-cultural dialogue, expressing his anticipation of welcoming visitors, particularly young audiences, to explore this unique exhibition and the diverse artistic landscapes of Saudi Arabia, France, and beyond.

Arduna, which serves as a preparatory step toward the opening of the Contemporary Art Museum in AlUla, will be staged in the museum’s experimental pre-opening gallery spaces and will be accessible through ticketed entry.

Culture

Louvre Staff Vote for Strike Again

This photograph shows a general view of the Louvre Museum, with the Louvre pyramid (L) designed by Chinese-US architect Ieoh Ming Pei, after the first snowfall of the year in Paris on January 3, 2026. (Photo by Blanca CRUZ / AFP)
This photograph shows a general view of the Louvre Museum, with the Louvre pyramid (L) designed by Chinese-US architect Ieoh Ming Pei, after the first snowfall of the year in Paris on January 3, 2026. (Photo by Blanca CRUZ / AFP)
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Louvre Staff Vote for Strike Again

This photograph shows a general view of the Louvre Museum, with the Louvre pyramid (L) designed by Chinese-US architect Ieoh Ming Pei, after the first snowfall of the year in Paris on January 3, 2026. (Photo by Blanca CRUZ / AFP)
This photograph shows a general view of the Louvre Museum, with the Louvre pyramid (L) designed by Chinese-US architect Ieoh Ming Pei, after the first snowfall of the year in Paris on January 3, 2026. (Photo by Blanca CRUZ / AFP)

Staff at the Louvre voted for another day of strike action on Monday, union representatives told AFP in Paris, threatening fresh disruption at the world's most-visited museum.

Disgruntled staff stopped work for three days last month, causing a complete shutdown on one day and partial closures on two others.

More than two months after an embarrassing daylight heist at the museum, which has heaped pressure on management, staff are calling for more recruitment and better maintenance of the vast complex of buildings.

"Around 350 people from various professions -- operations, conservation, support staff -- voted unanimously" to resume strike action, Valerie Baud from the CFDT union told AFP.

The CGT union confirmed the vote on its Instagram account.

It was unclear whether the strikers would force management to close or limit access to visitors on Monday.

The Louvre workforce totals over 2,000 people.

Questions continue to swirl since the October 19 break-in at the Louvre over whether it was avoidable and why thieves were able to steal crown jewels worth more than $100 million.

Two intruders used a truck-mounted extendable platform to access a gallery containing the jewels, slicing through a glass door with disk-cutters in front of startled visitors before stealing eight priceless items.

As well as the robbery, two other recent incidents have highlighted maintenance problems inside the building which chief architect Francois Chatillon has described as "not in a good state.”

A water leak in November damaged hundreds of books and manuscripts in the Egyptian department, while management had to shut a gallery housing ancient Greek ceramics in October because ceiling beams above it risk giving way.

Culture

Jazan Festival Takes Visitors on a Journey Through Culture and Heritage

"This is Jazan” zone, part of Jazan Festival 2026, has opened to visitors offering an engaging tourism experience. (SPA)
"This is Jazan” zone, part of Jazan Festival 2026, has opened to visitors offering an engaging tourism experience. (SPA)
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Jazan Festival Takes Visitors on a Journey Through Culture and Heritage

"This is Jazan” zone, part of Jazan Festival 2026, has opened to visitors offering an engaging tourism experience. (SPA)
"This is Jazan” zone, part of Jazan Festival 2026, has opened to visitors offering an engaging tourism experience. (SPA)

The “This is Jazan” zone, part of Jazan Festival 2026, has opened to visitors, offering an engaging tourism experience that highlights the region’s history, culture, and modern life. The zone showcases how Jazan’s diverse landscapes—coasts, mountains, and plains—have shaped its unique lifestyle and rich cultural identity, the Saudi Press Agency said on Sunday.

All 16 governorates of the region are represented, giving visitors the opportunity to explore Jazan’s heritage through traditional crafts, folk arts, and live performances. Displays include heritage tools, handicrafts, local products such as honey and ghee, traditional attire, and authentic cuisine, reflecting the diversity and authenticity of each governorate.

Running until February 15, Jazan Festival features a wide range of cultural, entertainment, and folk events across Jizan city and the region's governorates, alongside ongoing activities at tourist sites, parks, and beaches, reinforcing Jazan’s status as a vibrant and well-rounded tourist destination.