Tourism & Hospitality | Saturday 5 March, 2016 9:08 am |

 As part of an effort to introduce the Kingdom’s rich cultural heritage to the world, the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTNH) is presenting an exhibition entitled “Saudi Arabia: National Heritage, Diversity and Richness” at the United Nations Office in Geneva (UNOG).

The 15-day exhibition is taking place simultaneously with the 31st session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. The council is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations and consists of 47 states responsible for the promotion and protection of human rights around the world.
A SCTNH official said on Thursday that the opening of the exhibition on March 1 was attended by Michael Møller, director-general of the UNOG, Bandar bin Mohammad Al-Ayban, president of the Saudi Human Rights Commission and Faisal bin Hassan Trad, the Kingdom’s permanent envoy to the United Nations.
The official explained that by including artifacts belonging to the Kingdom’s cultural heritage, the exhibition highlights a number of archaeological sites as well as some existing and future museum projects. In addition, the public will gain information about heritage and cultural events organized at archaeological sites.
Commenting on the exhibition Hussain Abu Al-Hassan, vice president of SCTNH for antiquities and museums, said: “The exhibition is being organized for the first time at the UN office in Geneva with the aim of introducing the cultural heritage of the Kingdom so that the rest of world may know about our rich heritage.”
The exhibition also emphasizes the Kingdom’s history as well as its relations with neighboring countries, he added.
It aims to contribute by highlighting the knowledge and cultural heritage that has had great impact on shaping the Kingdom’s identity, and its political, economic and cultural importance, said Al-Hassan.
The Kingdom has four sites on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage List.
UNESCO declared Madain Saleh a site of patrimony in 2008, thus making it the first World Heritage Site in the Kingdom. The second is Turaif district in Al-Diriyah (2010); third is Historic Jeddah (2014) and finally the fourth is Hail Rock Arts (2015).
This exhibition will help promote tourism by introducing the Kingdom’s national heritage to the public.