AlUla Royal Commission Signs Strategic Partnership with China's Henan Province

AlUla Governorate and Henan Province are working towards protecting cultural heritage - SPA
AlUla Governorate and Henan Province are working towards protecting cultural heritage - SPA
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AlUla Royal Commission Signs Strategic Partnership with China's Henan Province

AlUla Governorate and Henan Province are working towards protecting cultural heritage - SPA
AlUla Governorate and Henan Province are working towards protecting cultural heritage - SPA

The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) signed a strategic partnership with the Cultural Heritage Administration of Henan Province, aimed at preserving heritage.
The signing comes in line with the RCU's goals to enhance the global partnership network within the framework of the Saudi-Chinese partnership.
The partnership includes enhancing knowledge and shared resources with a focus on archaeology, preserving cultural heritage and museums, research collaboration, talent development, tourism, and other cultural exchanges.
The partnership includes establishing a technology-driven archaeological laboratory, conducting excavation activities, engaging in research, and fostering connections between heritage sites in AlUla and Henan.
Additionally, it involves implementing collaborative exchange programs, participating in exhibitions and events, and utilizing museum technologies such as virtual reality and augmented reality.
AlUla has joined as a founding member of the International Tourism Alliance of Silk Road Cities, within the framework of supporting cultural cooperation and connectivity between Saudi Arabia and China.
The alliance aims to lay the foundations for long-term fruitful cooperation and knowledge exchange among cities of significant tourism, historical, and cultural importance within and beyond China.
With its membership among the 58 founding cities from 26 countries across different continents, AlUla will participate in international forums, delegations, and events to enhance tourism and sustainable development in the northwestern region of the Arabian Peninsula and among the alliance's member cities, SPA reported.
AlUla Governorate and Henan Province are working towards protecting cultural heritage, given their rich history as crossroads of civilizations. AlUla has been home to successive civilizations for over 200,000 years, while Henan is the third-largest province in China with a population of 100 million and houses five out of six archaeological projects on the origins of Chinese civilization.
Both AlUla and Henan are home to UNESCO World Heritage sites with a shared history spanning over 1,400 years along the ancient incense and Silk Roads, representing a common heritage as capitals of ancient empires.
The agreement coincides with the exhibition "AlUla, Wonder of Arabia," currently held at the Palace Museum in Beijing, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, until April 11. This exhibition has attracted over 250,000 visitors. It features several sections, exhibits, archaeological pieces, and heritage items from historical sites in AlUla.
The partnership comes along with programs and initiatives aligned with AlUla Vision in harmony with Saudi Vision 2030.



Sudan Accuses RSF of Looting Museums, Antiquities

A view of the entrance of the Sudan National Museum in the capital Khartoum. (AFP file photo)
A view of the entrance of the Sudan National Museum in the capital Khartoum. (AFP file photo)
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Sudan Accuses RSF of Looting Museums, Antiquities

A view of the entrance of the Sudan National Museum in the capital Khartoum. (AFP file photo)
A view of the entrance of the Sudan National Museum in the capital Khartoum. (AFP file photo)

Sudan's Foreign Ministry accused the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of looting and destroying museums, including the National Museum, when they were in control of Khartoum state.

The ministry said the damage included artifacts documenting Sudan's 7,000-year-old civilization, calling it a “war crime.” It vowed to hold those responsible accountable and to work with international organizations to recover the stolen antiquities.

Moreover, the ministry said on Tuesday that archaeological archives at the National Museum had been looted and smuggled into two neighboring countries, without naming them.

It accused the RSF of targeting the National Records House, public and private libraries, universities, laboratories, mosques, and churches of historical significance in both Khartoum and Wad Madani.

It described the attacks on museums and cultural institutions as part of a deliberate plan to erase Sudan's national identity.

It added that Sudan's historical and cultural heritage had also been targeted, saying the destruction and looting of the National Museum was intentional, aiming to obliterate artifacts that encapsulate the country's history.

The RSF were also accused of targeting all major museums in the greater Khartoum area, including the Khalifa House Museum, the Ethnographic Museum, the Republican Palace Museum, the Military Museum, the Natural History Museum at the University of Khartoum, and the Sultan Ali Dinar Museum in El Fasher.

The ministry described the looting and destruction of museums as part of a “criminal scheme” carried out by the RSF, calling it an attack on Sudan's people, state, cultural heritage, historical memory, and economic and scientific foundations.

The assault on Sudan's cultural history was an extension of atrocities committed against civilians, it added, citing mass graves, hostage-taking, torture centers, and the skeletal remains of those who had perished across Khartoum.