Abdullah Al-Dani

Okaz/Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH – There has been a recent jumpstart in restoration work in Jeddah’s Historic Area with a fresh plan to resubmit the Kingdom’s application to UNESCO for its inclusion in the list of World Heritage Sites. The mayoralty is racing against time to fulfill the conditions and criteria sought by the UNESCO when it rejected the Kingdom’s bid two years ago.



Even though there is a massive SR220 million plan to develop the area, there has to be swift and serious efforts to overcome major obstacles that stand in the way of getting in the UNESCO list, some experts have said.



There should be a sound plan to ensure safety of the historic area, in addition to taking stringent measures to protect it from negligence as well as from illegal residents who are unaware of the importance and value of heritage sites, the experts told Okaz/Saudi Gazette recently.



The experts said members of the International Heritage Council (IHC) under UNESCO rejected the application mainly because the site was being neglected. Besides, the IHC cited a lack of public awareness on the historic area’s value.



Ziyad Al-Derais, the Kingdom’s Permanent Representative to UNESCO, attributed the rejection to a purely technical reason. He said the IHC members could not hide their dismay at this neglect which has continued for many years.



It was pointed out that houses in the historic neighborhood where wealthy Jeddah merchants once lived are now cheap dwellings for poor foreign laborers, beggars and illegal immigrants.



Yahya Bajunaid, a prominent Jeddah-based media figure and writer, underscored the need for decisive steps to protect the centuries-old buildings, which are tilting and buckling above the historic neighborhood’s narrow alleys in the heart of Jeddah. “Well before implementing the restoration master plan, there should be stringent regulations to rid the area of illegal aliens who are causing much harm and damage to the area. These illegals have turned centuries-old buildings into a haven for unlawful acts,” he said.



Bajunaid also called for taking all necessary precautionary measures to protect the district with its mud and coral town houses adorned with ornate wooden balconies, from recurring incidents of fire and collapse of dilapidated buildings before starting any planned restoration work. He stressed the need to seek help of elderly local residents who know the intricate features of the buildings constructed by their ancestors. He said blocks should be fenced to prevent entry of vehicles and only pedestrians should be allowed into them.



Sameer Barqa, an expert in Hijazi Islamic heritage, lauded the efforts of Jeddah residents to protect their rich heritage in the historic neighborhood. The historic houses in the area are regarded as the only remnants of the traditional Hijazi architecture.



The development plan includes pavement works, renovation of centuries-old structures and evacuation of some houses used by expatriates and some traders as warehouses. Work is under way to develop the area following the approval of the time-bound plan by Makkah Emir Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, who is also Chairman of the Higher Committee for the Development of the Historic Area. Prince Sultan Bin Salman, President of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA), has been at the forefront of the concerted efforts to get the neighborhood a place in the World Heritage List. He said that a comprehensive plan has been prepared to manage, protect and develop the area. “Efforts are on, in coordination with the mayoralty, to digitize the historic buildings,” he said.



The development project, costing SR220 million, involves setting up of a separate municipality for the Historic Area, a special library for antiquities, starting renovation of 18 heritage buildings, nominating a building to be developed into a heritage hotel and addressing endowment related problems in cooperation with ministries of finance and Islamic affairs and endowments.



Mansour Aqeel, chief of the neighborhood, said UNESCO representatives who visited the area put forward some suggestions. “We are now translating them into action, and all these works will be completed and celebrated with a festival next month. Studies have been completed on renovation of more than 30 famous buildings with unique features,” he said.