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Two Saudi Geoparks Nominated for Inclusion in UNESCO Global Geoparks Network

The announcement was made at the ninth session of the UNESCO Global Geoparks Council, held in Vietnam on September 8 and 9 - SPA Photo 
The announcement was made at the ninth session of the UNESCO Global Geoparks Council, held in Vietnam on September 8 and 9 - SPA Photo 
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Two Saudi Geoparks Nominated for Inclusion in UNESCO Global Geoparks Network

The announcement was made at the ninth session of the UNESCO Global Geoparks Council, held in Vietnam on September 8 and 9 - SPA Photo 
The announcement was made at the ninth session of the UNESCO Global Geoparks Council, held in Vietnam on September 8 and 9 - SPA Photo 

In a significant step that testifies to Saudi Arabia’s role in preserving geological heritage and promoting sustainable development, the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development & Combating Desertification (NCVC) and the Saudi National Commission for Education, Culture, and Science announced that the UNESCO Global Geoparks Council has endorsed the nomination of "North Riyadh Geopark" and "Salma Geopark" for inclusion in the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network.
The announcement was made at the ninth session of the UNESCO Global Geoparks Council, held in Vietnam on September 8 and 9, SPA reported.
The two sites were selected based on rigorous criteria, such as the comprehensive management of geologically significant areas of global importance, by integrating protection, education, and sustainable development. A key element of this approach is engaging local communities.
During the ninth session of the council, 21 candidate sites were evaluated, and 15 received approval. According to a statement from UNESCO, if the new nominations are granted final approval, the number of UNESCO Global Geoparks will reach 228 in 49 countries.
This nomination represents a major step toward international recognition of these geologically significant sites, and highlights Saudi Arabia’s efforts to preserve and develop sites of global geological importance. It also elevates the Kingdom’s international standing in environmental conservation and sustainable development.
Following the final decision, expected at the UNESCO General Conference in March 2025, Saudi Arabia will officially join the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network for the first time.
NCVC CEO Dr. Khaled bin Abdullah Al-Abdulkader highlighted the significance of this remarkable achievement, which he attributed to the dedicated efforts to protect the Kingdom’s unique natural environment and vegetation. He said that these efforts contribute directly to achieving the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 Sustainable Development Program through the concept of geoparks.
Secretary-General of the Saudi National Commission for Education, Culture, and Science Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Alblihed said the nomination is bound to raise global awareness about the Kingdom’s geological heritage and strengthen its leading role in protecting natural sites and fostering the development of local communities.
It further strengthens Saudi Arabia's position as a key player in global geotourism, which is consistent with Vision 2030, and aims to diversify the economy and promote environmental sustainability.
North Riyadh Geopark and Salma Geopark are globally significant geological sites, boasting a unique geological diversity that combines ancient formations and breathtaking natural landscapes, reflecting a geological history that spans millions of years.
Saudi Arabia remains committed to contributing to international environmental protection efforts and raising environmental awareness. These geoparks will offer local and international visitors the opportunity to explore the Kingdom’s unique geological heritage, thus fostering scientific and cultural understanding of the importance of preserving geological diversity.
They also enable Saudi Arabia to present a pioneering model of sustainable natural resource management that integrates ecotourism with local development, creating job opportunities and providing educational resources for local communities. The model is based on collaboration between the public, private, and non-profit sectors, which helps achieve sustainable development goals at both national and international levels.

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Syria's Aleppo Set for Revival Despite War Scars to its Heritage

During the four years of fighting before Assad's forces recaptured Aleppo following a devastating siege, the city was virtually emptied - AFP
During the four years of fighting before Assad's forces recaptured Aleppo following a devastating siege, the city was virtually emptied - AFP
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Syria's Aleppo Set for Revival Despite War Scars to its Heritage

During the four years of fighting before Assad's forces recaptured Aleppo following a devastating siege, the city was virtually emptied - AFP
During the four years of fighting before Assad's forces recaptured Aleppo following a devastating siege, the city was virtually emptied - AFP

The historic Baron Hotel in Syria's Aleppo is dilapidated and damaged by years of war but still standing and ready for a revival, much like the city itself.

Aleppo's old city, designated a UNESCO World Heritage site, was ravaged by the conflict that erupted after a government crackdown on protests in 2011.

Between 2012 and 2016, it became a battleground between Syria's military and opposition factions.

The army of now-ousted president Bashar al-Assad shelled opposition fighters from the ground and struck them from the air, supported by Russian firepower.
Opposition groups, meanwhile, used mortars and artisanal rockets, as the fighting turned ancient streets into sniper alleys.

During the four years of fighting before the government recaptured Aleppo following a devastating siege, the city was virtually emptied.

Now, after Assad's fall following a lightning opposition offensive led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, residents are looking forward to reconstruction.

"Unfortunately, more than 60 percent of the edifices in the old city, monuments of the old city of Aleppo, were devastated to ground zero," said Georges Edleby, a tour guide in the city for 35 years.

"Hopefully there will be a day that we see them again restored."

The ancient souks where Aleppo's famed olive oil soap is piled up in stacks for sale has been reduced in many places to little more than rubble.

- 'Hope for a better life' -

Aleppo's medieval citadel, however, remains relatively intact.

Opposition fighters, one with a rose slipped into the barrel of his gun, stood guard outside the ancient ramparts, which Syria's army turned into a stronghold during the war.

Most of the damage in the citadel was caused by a 2023 earthquake, locals say.

Below in the old city, a few alleys of the souk -- once the largest in the world with 4,000 stalls -- have reopened after being restored, including with Saudi financial aid.

Jamal Habbal, 66, has spent all his life under the stone vaults of the old city and reopened his macrame and rope shop there a year ago.

"We have so many memories here. It was a big market that was vibrant and lively. Girls used to come to buy items for their trousseaus. They could find everything," he told AFP.

"And then suddenly, the crisis," he said, reluctant to even say the word war.

"We had to leave. I returned in 2018, but it's still difficult," he added, speaking in a dark and largely deserted alley.

Fadel Fadel has also reopened his shop offering souvenirs, soap and mother-of-pearl inlaid boxes.

"It was completely destroyed here," said the 51-year-old.

He is hoping to see Aleppo returned to its status as a "center of commerce, industry and tourism."

"We hope for a better life."

- Museum ready to reopen -

Outside, dusty streets wind between ruins that await reconstruction and revival.

The Baron Hotel once welcomed Agatha Christie, Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser and France's Charles de Gaulle.

Visitors flocked to see the somewhat faded glory of its rooms, as well as its terrace and the unpaid bar bill belonging to one Lawrence of Arabia.

But now, several broken windows adorned with shutters hanging from a single hinge offer a view into a deserted building covered in dust.

The hotel's future is uncertain.

Its last owner, Armen Mazloumian, has passed away. He told AFP back in 2014 that he felt the hotel's glory days were behind it and it would "never be what it once was again".

Nearby, however, the National Museum of Aleppo is readying to reopen. Its courtyard was hit in shelling but its building and collection were spared.

Director Ahmed Othman said the museum "took lessons from the experience of our neighbours," including institutions in Iraq and Lebanon.

"We took the necessary measures to protect our collections," he said.

"The statues that were too heavy to move were encased in concrete and the smaller pieces were moved to safe places."

Treasures that trace nine millennia of history and the birth of writing in nearby Mesopotamia have been preserved unharmed as a result.

"We did many things in order to protect the museum as a whole," said Othman