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Saudi Culture Ministry to Hold Cultural Insurance Conference in Riyadh Next Week

The Ministry of Culture will sign an insurance policy on cultural assets during the event
The Ministry of Culture will sign an insurance policy on cultural assets during the event
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Saudi Culture Ministry to Hold Cultural Insurance Conference in Riyadh Next Week

The Ministry of Culture will sign an insurance policy on cultural assets during the event
The Ministry of Culture will sign an insurance policy on cultural assets during the event

The Ministry of Culture, in collaboration with the Insurance Authority, will organize the Cultural Insurance Conference in Riyadh on Tuesday to introduce the recent cultural insurance product that helps owners of artworks and other cultural assets in the Kingdom secure their holdings, protect them, and preserve them.

It also ensures financial compensation in case of accidents that lead to the loss or damage of these cultural assets, commensurate with the damage and fair value of the assets.

The conference, which will be held at the Cultural Palace in the Diplomatic Quarter, will bring together officials and CEOs specialized and interested in the cultural and insurance fields. It will consist of dialogue sessions of leaders in the cultural and insurance systems in the Kingdom, specialists and individuals interested in these fields, to highlight the notion of "cultural insurance" and its role in creating an environment that helps protect heritage assets.

The Ministry of Culture will sign an insurance policy on cultural assets during the event.

The ministry is organizing the conference with the aim of shedding light on the cultural insurance product, presenting the risk management of cultural assets and sites, and promoting awareness about the importance of preserving cultural assets as part of the Kingdom's heritage.

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Yemen’s Historic Zabid Becomes Latest Casualty of Houthis

A view of the historic city of Zabid in the Hodeidah province. (Local media)
A view of the historic city of Zabid in the Hodeidah province. (Local media)
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Yemen’s Historic Zabid Becomes Latest Casualty of Houthis

A view of the historic city of Zabid in the Hodeidah province. (Local media)
A view of the historic city of Zabid in the Hodeidah province. (Local media)

Despite being declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the Yemeni city of Zabid is facing increased danger due to neglect of the Iran-backed Houthi militias, who run the historic town.

The Houthis have failed to protect and preserve all heritage sites in areas under their control, as seen with the damage to Old Sanaa’s architecture and the risk of further destruction and artifact trafficking.

Recently, heavy rains caused the northern part of the old market’s roof in Zabid, a city in western Hodeidah province, to collapse. Residents have closed off the area to prevent further damage and potential collapses.

Last week, residents of Zabid reported serious damage to the northern part of a historic corridor to local authorities and the Houthi-controlled Historic Cities Preservation Authority, but no significant action has been taken.

Residents have also asked UNESCO to step in and help save the city’s landmarks from being removed from the World Heritage List.

Four years ago, heavy rains caused several archaeological sites to collapse and damaged many homes in Zabid. Cultural activists have called on the UN to protect the city from further harm.

Zabid, which was Yemen’s capital in the 13th to 15th centuries, was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1993 but was moved to the List of World Heritage in Danger in 2000 due to construction violations and damage to its historic sites.

The city was a major intellectual hub in the Islamic world, with 85 Islamic schools representing various religious and philosophical traditions.

Many of these schools still exist and house rare manuscripts and important texts. The city also features historic sites and symbols that highlight its former prominence in the region.

UNESCO plans to restore 400 historic homes in four Yemeni cities this year, with 100 homes in each city: Old Sanaa, Aden, Zabid, and Shibam Hadramawt, according to Khaled Salah, Director of UNESCO’s Gulf States and Yemen office.

Salah revealed discussions with the UN Office for Project Services about urgent sanitation upgrades in Old Sanaa. The outdated sewage system poses a risk of collapse due to unstable ground beneath the homes.

UNESCO is working to encourage donors to increase support for Yemen, focusing on expanding development projects and preserving cultural and historic sites.