By Hanan Alnufaie
RIYADH — Prince Sultan Bin Salman, President of Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH), chaired the 17th meeting of GCC heritage and museums supervisors and representatives at Kempinski hotel in Riyadh on Monday.
Addressing the meeting, Prince Sultan said it was crucial to have frequent visits between all Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to share the unique experiences of each country regarding antiquities. He also said it was important to have exhibitions, so that individuals and families can expand their knowledge about their history and roots. “Amid all conflicts and challenges that are currently facing the GCC, it becomes one of our duties to increase awareness of our legacy and history to enhance patriotism and implant loyalty in our future generation’s hearts for their countries," said Prince Sultan.
“What unifies nations are not only political and economic agreements but also joint history and civilization," he added.
In this regard, the prince mentioned many developmental projects that have been launched such as the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ Program for Civilized Heritage Care, which has a budget of SR1.3 billion.
The program envisages the establishment of 18 museums. Another significant initiative is to train national cadres to work in the industry.
When asked about the number of Saudi visitors to museums and heritage sites, the SCTH president said, “We used to have around 8, 000 visitors, but according to the latest statistics the number has reached 200,000 visitors. We have been cooperating with the concerned authorities to organize school trips and sometimes we provide buses to get people into the sites easily."
Prince Sultan said the primary goal of opening museums was to display "our antiques which show our rich history, not to disfigure them."
When asked about the possibility of having one GCC joint museum, the prince said, “Surely we hope, but currently each country works alone in enhancing this industry and attract local visitors. However, in the meantime we can have shared exhibitions."
Two remarkable specialists in antiquities from each country were honored at the event. They received medals and cash prizes worth SR20,000. The best GCC museums were also honored.
