Saudi Culture Ministry Participates in AlUla Camel Cup with Pavilion on Year of Camel Initiative

The Saudi Ministry of Culture logo
The Saudi Ministry of Culture logo
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Saudi Culture Ministry Participates in AlUla Camel Cup with Pavilion on Year of Camel Initiative

The Saudi Ministry of Culture logo
The Saudi Ministry of Culture logo

The Saudi Ministry of Culture is taking part in the AlUla Camel Cup, organized by the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) from April 24-27 in AlUla.

It has set up a special pavilion for the "2024 Year of the Camel," showcasing the initiative's efforts and objectives. This initiative recognizes camels as a historical cultural element deeply intertwined with the Saudi people's heritage, holding significant cultural and social influence.

The pavilion features various content about camels, including their characteristics, nomenclature, and historical significance, presented through creative mediums such as murals, luminous boxes displaying camel names and titles, and a cylindrical LED display promoting the initiative's objectives.
Furthermore, the pavilion provides an immersive acoustic experience, offering a detailed explanation of camel sounds and their cultural connotations, which have inspired tales and held a special place in the Arab mindset, reflecting a profound understanding of camels' integral role in daily life.

Moreover, the pavilion highlights Heda'a, a traditional form of oral expression in the Arabian Peninsula, serving as a means of communication between camels and their herders. This art form has evolved from simple vocalizations to poetic singing, characterized by its beauty and sweetness. Heda'a is recognized on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The Ministry of Culture's participation in the AlUla Camel Cup aligns with the activities and programs of the 2024 Year of the Camel initiative. It aims to elevate the visibility of this distinctive cultural year in various forums and events across the Kingdom, celebrating camels as an authentic cultural symbol while emphasizing their pivotal role in cultural development, economic significance, and contribution to food security.



UN Puts 4th Century Gaza Monastery on Endangered Site List

The Saint Hilarion complex dates back to the fourth century. Mahmud HAMS / AFP/File
The Saint Hilarion complex dates back to the fourth century. Mahmud HAMS / AFP/File
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UN Puts 4th Century Gaza Monastery on Endangered Site List

The Saint Hilarion complex dates back to the fourth century. Mahmud HAMS / AFP/File
The Saint Hilarion complex dates back to the fourth century. Mahmud HAMS / AFP/File

The Saint Hilarion complex, one of the oldest monasteries in the Middle East, has been put on the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites in danger due to the war in Gaza, the body said Friday.
UNESCO said the site, which dates back to the fourth century, had been put on the endangered list at the demand of Palestinian authorities and cited the "imminent threats" it faced.
"It's the only recourse to protect the site from destruction in the current context," Lazare Eloundou Assomo, director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, told AFP, referring to the war sparked by Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel.
In December, the UNESCO Committee for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict decided to grant "provisional enhanced protection" -- the highest level of immunity established by the 1954 Hague Convention -- to the site.
UNESCO had then said it was "already concerned about the state of conservation of sites, before October 7, due to the lack of adequate policies to protect heritage and culture" in Gaza.
The Hamas attack on October 7 resulted in the deaths of 1,197 people in Israel, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.
Israel's retaliatory offensive against Hamas has killed at least 39,175 Palestinians in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry, which does not give details of civilian and militant deaths.