Saudi Arabia: UNESCO highlights audiovisual heritage of AlUla

 

Saudi Arabia: Living legacy of AlUla honored on UNESCO day 

For more than two centuries, films, sound recordings, and photographs have served as a mirror to human experience — preserving memories, stories, and traditions that transcend cultures and generations. On the occasion of World Day for Audiovisual Heritage, UNESCO highlights the efforts of AlUla’s community members who are dedicated to capturing and safeguarding this living legacy in northwestern Saudi Arabia.

A living record of AlUla’s past

Nestled in Saudi Arabia’s northwest, the oasis of AlUla has long been a crossroads of civilizations. Its sandstone mountains still bear inscriptions left by traders, pilgrims, and residents from centuries past — a timeless record of life in the desert.

Today, AlUla’s community continues this tradition of documentation through modern means, preserving local customs, landscapes, and oral traditions in audiovisual form. In collaboration with the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), UNESCO is supporting these community-led initiatives to ensure that AlUla’s stories are shared with the world.

 

Read More       UNESCO published study captures AlUla’s documentary heritage and intercultural dialogue

 

Custodians of memory

Among these local historians is Meshal Albushi, who safeguards a remarkable family archive of photographs capturing AlUla’s people, architecture, and natural beauty. The collection began with his grandfather, Omar Ali AlWan — a writer and journalist who photographed daily life in AlUla, from camel races across golden plains to festive National Day parades and the enduring mudbrick houses of the old town.

What started as a personal family archive has become a historical treasure. Albushi now preserves over 18 kilograms of photographs — an extensive visual chronicle of AlUla’s social identity.

“Passing this heritage from one generation to the next is not just about preserving images,” Albushi says. “It’s about preserving memory, identity, and history — a living witness that inspires future generations to understand and take pride in their roots.”

Voices that bridge generations

Similarly, Maqbula Mohammed Saleh Shweikan is capturing AlUla’s oral traditions by recording the stories, songs, and reflections of its elders. Through her growing archive of interviews and sound recordings, she documents the region’s linguistic and cultural richness.

 

Read More       Saudi Arabia’s AlUla Company redefines tourism through cultural preservation and sustainability

 

“Audiovisual archives consolidate identity and belonging,” Shweikan explains. “They strengthen social unity and enrich global cultural diversity.”

For Shweikan, oral heritage is also a bridge between generations — an informal education that passes down not just memories but also language itself. “You learn the language of your parents and grandparents,” she says, “because they have their own way of speaking.”

Preserving the Arab world’s audiovisual memory

Despite its cultural value, audiovisual heritage across the world — and particularly in the Arab region — remains at risk. A UNESCO report found that only 20% of museums, archives, and libraries in the region have the necessary equipment to access their audiovisual collections. As recording technologies age, countless records of the 20th and 21st centuries risk being lost forever.

Through the Memory of the World (MoW) Programme, UNESCO works to counter these challenges by equipping institutions and individuals with the knowledge and tools to preserve documentary and audiovisual heritage. In partnership with RCU, UNESCO recently hosted training sessions in AlUla, bringing together more than fifty participants — including Albushi and Shweikan — to strengthen the preservation and accessibility of Saudi Arabia’s cultural memory.

 

Read More       Royal Commission for AlUla shows its sustainable mobility at Saudi International Rail Exhibition 2025

 

A shared legacy for the future

Audiovisual heritage opens a unique window into the past — one that transcends language and cultural barriers. Through the dedicated efforts of individuals like Albushi and Shweikan, the people of AlUla are ensuring that their community’s stories continue to resonate for generations to come.

Every photograph, every recording, every retold story contributes to a shared human archive — a living bridge between memory and modernity, connecting AlUla’s ancient spirit to the world.

Source: UNESCO