AlUla World Archaeology Conference to Explore Challenges, Future of Nomadic Societies

The conference will bring together researchers and experts in archaeology and cultural heritage from around the world. SPa
The conference will bring together researchers and experts in archaeology and cultural heritage from around the world. SPa
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AlUla World Archaeology Conference to Explore Challenges, Future of Nomadic Societies

The conference will bring together researchers and experts in archaeology and cultural heritage from around the world. SPa
The conference will bring together researchers and experts in archaeology and cultural heritage from around the world. SPa

The Royal Commission for AlUla will host a global archaeology conference addressing the future of archeology and the heritage of nomadic societies on October 30-31.
The conference, set to alternate with the AlUla World Archaeology Summit year after year, will bring together researchers and experts in archaeology and cultural heritage from around the world.
At the Maraya mirrored wonder nestled amidst the captivating landscape of AlUla, the event will consist of presentations, dialogues, workshops, and case studies, and will showcase a collection of archaeological artifacts discovered in AlUla by archaeological missions.
The conference will highlight the essential role of mobility in shaping the world we know today. Since prehistoric times, mobility has been the means to access new opportunities, improve living conditions, explore, and address environmental challenges, natural disasters, and social and political instabilities, among others.
While mobility remains challenging for some, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic's movement restrictions at the time, the conference provides an opportunity to shed light on various aspects of mobility and nomadic societies, challenging traditional assumptions about mobility in the past and present.
The conference will focus on the fundamental role of prehistoric mobility, when movement was the primary means to reach areas with new opportunities and seek life chances. Caravan mobility served as a means to address environmental challenges and natural disasters.
At a time when mobility remains a challenge, the conference offers an opportunity to illuminate different facets of mobility and nomadic societies.
Royal Commission for AlUla Vice President of Culture Abdulrahman Alsuhaibani said in a statement issued Tuesday that the conference aims to provide an advanced and pioneering platform for dialogue and collaboration, and that it will alternate with the summit the following year.
The commission, he said, seeks to maintain the momentum generated by the summit last year through the conference, while preparing for AlUla World Archaeology Summit in 2025.
Alsuhaibani said today AlUla is one of the most active regions in the world regarding archaeological exploration, with over 30,000 archaeological sites identified, and 12 ongoing search projects in its rich cultural landscape.
“AlUla has held a unique position for thousands of years as a crossroads for civilizations, serving as a beacon for cultural and intellectual exchange,” Alsuhaibani said.
Key speakers at the conference include Professor Willeke Wendrich from the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures at the University of California, Los Angeles, archaeology Professor Stefano Biagetti from the Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona, Spain, and Peter Debrine, leader of Sustainable Tourism Programme at UNESCO World Heritage Centre in Paris.
Research overseen by the Royal Commission for AlUla by Saudi and international archaeologists has shed light on various wonders of AlUla's history through the ages, including the massive stone structures known as “mustatil” (rectangle, in Arabic).
Among the discovered wonders are also the ancient stone-built traps for animals, known as “desert kites,” the long “funerary avenues” that connected oases and pastures through corridors lined with tombs, and the dwellings known as the “standing stone circles.”
Studies indicate that early societies in northwestern Arabian Peninsula were more complex and interconnected with the broader region than previously believed.
The conference is anticipated to host the first-ever global exhibition featuring archaeological pieces from the National Archaeological Museum of Naples in Italy. The agenda also includes field visits to prominent archaeological sites in AlUla and surrounding areas of note, including Tayma and Khaybar.



Saudi Arabia’s Jusoor Exhibition Inaugurated in Mauritanian Capital

The inauguration was attended by Mauritanian Minister of Islamic Affairs and Original Education Sidi Yahya Ould Cheikhna Ould Lemrabet. (SPA)
The inauguration was attended by Mauritanian Minister of Islamic Affairs and Original Education Sidi Yahya Ould Cheikhna Ould Lemrabet. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia’s Jusoor Exhibition Inaugurated in Mauritanian Capital

The inauguration was attended by Mauritanian Minister of Islamic Affairs and Original Education Sidi Yahya Ould Cheikhna Ould Lemrabet. (SPA)
The inauguration was attended by Mauritanian Minister of Islamic Affairs and Original Education Sidi Yahya Ould Cheikhna Ould Lemrabet. (SPA)

Saudi Ambassador to Mauritania Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Raqabi inaugurated on Sunday the Jusoor Exhibition in Nouakchott.

The inauguration was attended by Mauritanian Minister of Islamic Affairs and Original Education Sidi Yahya Ould Cheikhna Ould Lemrabet.

The Jusoor Exhibition features more than 12 interactive sections focusing on the Holy Quran, photography and Saudi attire experience, the mosques and the Two Holy Mosques, Arabic calligraphy, technology, hospitality and others.

It also boasts a large electronic screen displaying the Kingdom's roles and efforts in serving Islam and Muslims around the world.

The sections highlight the Kingdom's cultural, scientific, Sharia, and linguistic components alongside a detailed presentation of the historical developments and initiatives in serving the Holy Quran, the Sunnah, and the holy sites.

The Jusoor Exhibition aims to boost ties between Africa and the Kingdom, enabling African nations to benefit from all the services provided by the Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs. It also seeks to clarify the Kingdom's message and efforts in promoting moderation, rejecting extremism, and spreading the principles of Islam.

The inauguration was held alongside the first edition of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Competition for Memorizing the Holy Quran and the Sunnah.

The competition is organized by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah, and Guidance in cooperation with the Ministry of Islamic Affairs and Original Education in Mauritania from October 15 to 18.

The competition's opening ceremony will be held on Tuesday with preliminary rounds taking place over three days from October 15 to 17. The final ceremony will be held on October 19.

The competition seeks to encourage Muslim youth to engage with the Holy Quran by memorizing, understanding, and reflecting upon it.

The event also fosters a spirit of healthy competition among those who have memorized the Quran and highlights the Kingdom's dedication to teaching the Quran and promoting the teachings of the Prophet Mohammed.

It aims to connect young people with the Sunnah, encouraging them to preserve, apply, and learn Islamic sciences while adhering to a path of moderation.