Paris Exhibition showcases cultural ambassadors of Saudi Arabia's AlUla
A new open-air exhibition in Paris is showcasing the
cultural ambassadors of AlUla, highlighting the local storytellers, known as rawis,
whose personal narratives and historical knowledge have helped bring Saudi
Arabia's ancient oasis to life for visitors from around the world.
Titled "I Am a Rawi: Sharing Stories from
AlUla," the free exhibition is displayed on the wrought-iron
gates surrounding UNESCO headquarters and transforms one of the French
capital's busiest streets into an outdoor gallery. Running through the end of
August, it features large-scale portraits and documentary photography that
trace the evolution of AlUla's storytelling programme since the destination
opened to international tourism in 2020.
The exhibition follows the journeys of the rawis
across AlUla's renowned heritage sites, including the UNESCO World Heritage
Site of Hegra, the ancient kingdoms of Dadan, the rock inscriptions of Jabal
Ikmah, and the historic lanes of AlUla Old Town. Through a combination of archaeological
knowledge, historical interpretation and personal experience, the storytellers
help visitors explore more than 200,000 years of human history.
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Recruited primarily from the local community, the rawis—the
Arabic word for "storyteller"—receive extensive training in
archaeology, history, heritage interpretation and public speaking before
guiding visitors through AlUla's dramatic sandstone landscapes, palm-filled
oases and ancient settlements.
Beyond historical facts, the programme also preserves oral
traditions by sharing family histories, local customs and community memories
that have been passed down through generations, offering visitors a deeper
understanding of the region's living heritage.
The Paris exhibition also marks the public launch of Qissa bi Qissa, a new visitor
experience developed using UNESCO's Live Museum model. The initiative invites
visitors to engage in conversations with rawis through storytelling
sessions centred on themes such as migration, identity, belief and belonging.
"Our research indicates that 79 per cent of leisure
travellers want immersive cultural experiences," said Phillip Jones, Chief
Tourism Officer at the Royal Commission for AlUla.
"At its heart, Qissa bi Qissa leverages dialogue
and storytelling to encourage visitors to engage with heritage in ways that
deepen understanding and genuine connection with people and places," he
said.
The storytelling initiative has gained international
recognition in recent years. In 2025, six senior rawis travelled to
Paris to participate in UNESCO's inaugural Intercultural Training Week
alongside representatives from leading museums and heritage institutions before
returning to AlUla to train fellow storytellers and further develop the
programme.
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Earlier this year, the first Qissa bi Qissa sessions in AlUla
welcomed participants from 10 countries ahead of the programme's planned launch
as a permanent visitor experience later in 2026.
The exhibition underscores AlUla's continued efforts to promote its cultural
heritage through community-led tourism while strengthening international
partnerships in heritage conservation and cultural exchange.
Source: www.cntravellerme.com
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