LONDON: In May 1976, Majeed Khan, a young graduate of the University of Sindh, Pakistan, traveled to Saudi Arabia to join the Ministry of Tourism as an archaeological consultant, advising on the development of museums and the conduct of archaeological investigations in the country. It was to prove an inspired appointment. Back then, with Saudi Arabia riding the wave of the
JEDDAH: The second Hail Season kicked off earlier this week with an array of diverse activities in sports and entertainment as well as tourist activities organized and supervised by the Ministry of Sports. The festival runs until Dec. 23 and is held in an area called Al-Maghwah, one of the most prominent tourist parks in Hail, distinguished by the mountainous location that
LONDON: At first glance, the blue-and-white porcelain cup lying intact on the sandy seabed looks as if it might have been dropped overboard from a boat only yesterday. In fact, the cup, one of hundreds scattered about the immediate area, has lain beneath the waves for more than 250 years. Together with the large merchant ship that took it to the bottom, the lost cargo not only
LONDON: Even as Saudi Arabia writes the next chapter in its story, defined by the ambition of its Vision 2030 blueprint for the future, it is rediscovering and embracing a past destined to play a central role as it opens up to the outside world. Since 2008, Saudi Arabia has had no fewer major six sites of “outstanding universal value” inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage list.