AlUla's Hegra after Dark: Where History Meets Innovation

AlUla continues to captivate visitors with a unique blend of historical wonders and cutting-edge technology. (SPA)
AlUla continues to captivate visitors with a unique blend of historical wonders and cutting-edge technology. (SPA)
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AlUla's Hegra after Dark: Where History Meets Innovation

AlUla continues to captivate visitors with a unique blend of historical wonders and cutting-edge technology. (SPA)
AlUla continues to captivate visitors with a unique blend of historical wonders and cutting-edge technology. (SPA)

AlUla continues to captivate visitors with a unique blend of historical wonders and cutting-edge technology. One exceptional experience is "Hegra After Dark", part of the Ancient Kingdoms Festival, The Saudi Press Agency said on Monday.
This innovative and immersive program explores the rise and fall of civilizations throughout history in a captivating way.
Held at Hegra, the first Saudi UNESCO World Heritage Site, the experience offers dazzling drone shows.
As part of the "Stories from the Sky" event, these drones illuminate the site's landmarks with breathtaking light formations, adding a new dimension to the historical site and creating an unprecedented visual spectacle.
Beyond the "Hegra After Dark", AlUla offers a diverse calendar of events, enabling visitors to delve deeper into the region's rich culture, heritage, and natural beauty.



Threatened by Israeli Airstrikes, Lebanon’s Cultural Sites Get Increased Protection from UN

Rubble lies at the site of the historic “Al-Manshiya” building damaged in the aftermath of Israeli strikes, near the Roman ruins of Baalbek, in the eastern city of Baalbek, Lebanon November 7, 2024. (Reuters)
Rubble lies at the site of the historic “Al-Manshiya” building damaged in the aftermath of Israeli strikes, near the Roman ruins of Baalbek, in the eastern city of Baalbek, Lebanon November 7, 2024. (Reuters)
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Threatened by Israeli Airstrikes, Lebanon’s Cultural Sites Get Increased Protection from UN

Rubble lies at the site of the historic “Al-Manshiya” building damaged in the aftermath of Israeli strikes, near the Roman ruins of Baalbek, in the eastern city of Baalbek, Lebanon November 7, 2024. (Reuters)
Rubble lies at the site of the historic “Al-Manshiya” building damaged in the aftermath of Israeli strikes, near the Roman ruins of Baalbek, in the eastern city of Baalbek, Lebanon November 7, 2024. (Reuters)

A specialized United Nations agency granted on Monday provisional enhanced protection to 34 cultural properties in Lebanon, including the World Heritage sites of Baalbek and Tyre, following recent Israeli strikes near them.

“Non-compliance with these clauses would constitute serious violations of the 1954 Hague Convention and would constitute potential grounds for prosecution,” the UN cultural and scientific agency UNESCO said in a statement. The decision also includes financial and technical assistance to safeguard Lebanon’s heritage.

The decision was made during an extraordinary session of the Committee for the Protection of Cultural Property that was held in Paris on Monday, at the request of Lebanese authorities.

This move comes amid mounting threats to Lebanon’s cultural sites. On Nov. 7, an Israeli airstrike destroyed an Ottoman-era building near the UNESCO-listed Roman temples of Baalbek in eastern Lebanon.

UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay said: “UNESCO has a deep and long-standing cooperation with Lebanon. We will spare no effort to provide all the expertise and assistance needed to protect its exceptional heritage.”

In addition to legal protections, UNESCO said it has been implementing measures such as satellite monitoring, risk management training and emergency relocation of movable artifacts.