Diriyah Global Seminar Exploring Mosaic of Cultural Encounters Kicks off

The event also aims to showcase the archaeological discoveries and cultural and historical heritage of Diriyah, which dates back more than 600 years - SPA
The event also aims to showcase the archaeological discoveries and cultural and historical heritage of Diriyah, which dates back more than 600 years - SPA
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Diriyah Global Seminar Exploring Mosaic of Cultural Encounters Kicks off

The event also aims to showcase the archaeological discoveries and cultural and historical heritage of Diriyah, which dates back more than 600 years - SPA
The event also aims to showcase the archaeological discoveries and cultural and historical heritage of Diriyah, which dates back more than 600 years - SPA

Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) launched the two-day Diriyah Global Seminar, which is organized by the authority under the theme "Diriyah: A Mosaic of Cultural Encounters", SPA reported.

Inaugurated by DGDA CEO Jerry Inzerillo, the event that aims to ignite intellectual curiosity, and foster interdisciplinary collaboration and academic research will be attended by a diverse range of local and global scholars, researchers, and specialists, alongside a group of students. The event also aims to showcase the archaeological discoveries and cultural and historical heritage of Diriyah, which dates back more than 600 years.

Emphasizing the significance of the event, Inzerillo said: "The Diriyah Global Seminar underscores our commitment to establishing one of the world's greatest cultural gathering places — a space that nurtures creativity and innovation and serves as a global platform to engage in cultural exchange. We are hugely excited to welcome experts and scholars to engage in meaningful discussions and extend our heartfelt thanks to Dr. Fahad Alsamari and other members of the heritage and culture committee to ensure Diriyah's legacy is highlighted and celebrated."

The Diriyah Global Seminar will be accompanied by an exhibition that will extend for over a week, showcasing Diriyah's history, heritage, and rich culture.

Organized field visits will be conducted for the forum's participants to explore the heritage and cultural sites in Diriyah and to learn about its ancient history and the massive development and tourism projects being implemented.

Among the highlights are the historical At-Turaif district, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Bujairi Terrace, where the finest restaurants and cafés from the Kingdom and around the world converge.



Japan’s Sado Mines Added to World Heritage List

This photo taken on May 9, 2022 shows a mine on Sado island. (AFP)
This photo taken on May 9, 2022 shows a mine on Sado island. (AFP)
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Japan’s Sado Mines Added to World Heritage List

This photo taken on May 9, 2022 shows a mine on Sado island. (AFP)
This photo taken on May 9, 2022 shows a mine on Sado island. (AFP)

A network of mines on a Japanese island infamous for using conscripted wartime labor was added to UNESCO's World Heritage register Saturday after South Korea dropped earlier objections to its listing.

The Sado gold and silver mines, now a popular tourist attraction, are believed to have started operating as early as the 12th century and produced until after World War II.

Japan had put a case for World Heritage listing because of their lengthy history and the artisanal mining techniques used there at a time when European mines had turned to mechanization.

The proposal was opposed by Seoul when it was first put because of the use of involuntary Korean labor during World War II, when Japan occupied the Korean peninsula.

UNESCO confirmed the listing of the mines at its ongoing committee meeting in New Delhi on Saturday after a bid highlighting its archaeological preservation of "mining activities and social and labor organization".

"I would like to wholeheartedly welcome the inscription... and pay sincere tribute to the long-standing efforts of the local people which made this possible," Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa said in a statement.

The World Heritage effort was years in the making, inspired in part by the successful recognition of a silver mine in western Japan's Shimane region.

South Korea's foreign ministry said it had agreed to the listing "on the condition that Japan faithfully implements the recommendation... to reflect the 'full history' at the Sado Gold Mine site and takes proactive measures to that end."

Historians have argued that recruitment conditions at the mine effectively amounted to forced labor, and that Korean workers faced significantly harsher conditions than their Japanese counterparts.

"Discrimination did exist," Toyomi Asano, a professor of history of Japanese politics at Tokyo's Waseda University, told AFP in 2022.

"Their working conditions were very bad and dangerous. The most dangerous jobs were allocated to them."

Also added to the list on Saturday was the Beijing Central Axis, a collection of former imperial palaces and gardens in the Chinese capital.

The UNESCO committee meeting runs until Wednesday.