Latest news with #RoyalCommissionForAlUla
Zawya
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Zawya
AlUla Moments reveals 2025-2026 Calendar: A year of culture, music, and discovery in Arabia's Timeless Oasis
AlUla, Saudi Arabia: AlUla Moments has unveiled its eagerly awaited 2025-2026 calendar, inviting visitors from across the Kingdom and around the world to experience a year of extraordinary festivals and events. Celebrating AlUla's timeless landscapes, deep heritage, and flourishing creative scene, the calendar offers a thoughtfully curated blend of heritage, music, art, wellness, sport, gastronomy, and community experiences, reinforcing AlUla's emergence as one of the region's most inspiring year-round destinations. Rami AlMoallim, Vice President of Destination Management and Marketing at the Royal Commission for AlUla, said: 'Each year, AlUla Moments evolves to offer an even more diverse and enriching array of experiences. The 2025-2026 calendar is a testament to our commitment to creating unique and authentic events that resonate with visitors from around the world. Whether it's through heritage, music, art, adventure, or wellness, AlUla continues to inspire and captivate.' The AlUla Moments 2025-2026 launches in September with the return of AZIMUTH the annual music event to mark the Saudi National Day weekend, uniting global and regional music talent with immersive performances, and cutting-edge visuals in a celebration of culture and creativity beneath AlUla's vast open skies. October brings a renewed focus on wellness, movement, and heritage with the return of AlUla Wellness Festival, a week-long celebration of balance and transformation. Alongside daily yoga sessions, guided meditations, and live performances, the programme introduces for the first time high-energy challenges including the AlUla Half Marathon Road Race, AlUla 24-Hour Endurance Race, AlUla Duathlon, and Ashar Valley Triathlon, alongside iconic fitness sessions with Les Mills, all inviting participants to push their limits amid breathtaking desert landscapes. Launching in November, The Ancient Kingdoms Festival invites visitors to 'journey through time' and experience AlUla's spectacular ancient sites and stories, brought to life in exciting new ways. From day-time discoveries to after-dark encounters, visitors can step into the world's largest living museum to explore the extraordinary landscapes shaped by nature, history, and human legacy at the heart of the Incense Road. Highlights include Hegra After Dark , The Incense Road Experience, the epic Hegra Drone Show 'Stories from the Sky', Ikmah After Dark and Hegra Candlelit Classics concerts, featuring world-renowned international artists. An unmissable opportunity for visitors to enjoy close encounters on the sites where history was made, celebrating AlUla's cultural legacy. In December, Winter at Tantora returns with its beloved blend of music, gastronomy, and heritage celebration. Opening with a tribute to the Saudi Year of Handicrafts and a performance by acclaimed artist Ahlam, this year's edition features highlights including Shorofat Tantora, Old Town Culinary Voyage, Tantora Old Town Nights, and exclusive fine dining restaurants with the return of Ducasse and Annabel's, all set against the enchanting backdrop of AlUla's historic oasis. The start of 2026 is marked by world-class sporting events that spotlight equestrian excellence and endurance racing. In January, AlUla Desert Polo returns to the purpose-built sand track near AlUla's sandstone cliffs, drawing elite players and international attention. Later that month, the AlUla Tour brings top international cyclists to the region for a multi-stage UCI Asia Tour race, showcasing AlUla's dramatic landscapes and rising status in global sport. In February, AlFursan Endurance AlUla challenges the world's top riders in one of the sport's most prestigious competitions, while the AlUla Trail Race welcomes athletes from around the globe to tackle one of the region's most scenic—and demanding—trail courses. Returning for its fifth edition in January, AlUla Arts Festival celebrates creative expression across disciplines, transforming the landscape into a living gallery. The festival features the fourth edition of Desert X AlUla, a landmark open-air exhibition placing visionary contemporary artworks by Saudi and international artists in the dramatic desert landscape, and a major new exhibition curated by AlUla's contemporary art museum in collaboration with the renowned Pompidou Centre, Paris. AlJadidah Arts District will again be animated by performances and programming and will feature an exhibition of contemporary AlUla-inspired design. The AlUla Moments 2025-2026 calendar reflects the destination's evolution into a global stage for creative expression, human connection, and extraordinary experiences. It celebrates what makes AlUla truly unique - its culture, nature, and community - and extends a bold invitation for the world to be part of its revitalizing story. About AlUla Moments: AlUla Moments is AlUla's new home for events. AlUla Moments calendar was launched at the end of 2021 and introduced new festivals and events to celebrate and unlock AlUla's stories, uncover its secrets, and celebrate local and international cultures. With 7,000 years of continuous human civilisations and home to some of the most sophisticated ancient kingdoms of antiquity, AlUla is no stranger to social gatherings and cultural celebrations. AlUla Moments calendar comprises of five festivals offering diverse experiences in art, culture, music, nature, wellness, equestrian activities, dining, and astronomy. The AlUla Wellness Festival featuring the latest practices to engage the mind, body and soul; Winter at Tantora, the original AlUla celebration of heritage, culture, fashion and music; the Ancient Kingdoms Festival offers immersive events acknowledging the ancient civilisations that lived in AlUla and its neighboring oases in Khaybar and Tayma; AlUla Skies Festival with the popular hot air balloons and stargazing experiences; and AlUla Arts Festival bringing together contemporary and ancient art events and experiences. In addition to the festivals AlUla Moments calendar offers a number of marquee events, including AZIMUTH and Richard Mille AlUla Desert Polo, along with the heritage sports events such as The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Endurance Cup, AlUla Camel Cup, AlUla Falcon Cup, the Tent Pegging World Championship and Horseback Archery World Cup, a world-class fashion, adventure and sporting events. About AlUla: Located 1,100 km from Riyadh, in North-West Saudi Arabia, AlUla is a place of extraordinary natural and human heritage. The vast area, covering 22,561km², includes a lush oasis valley, towering sandstone mountains and ancient cultural heritage sites dating back thousands of years to when the Lihyan and Nabataean kingdoms reigned. The most well-known and recognised site in AlUla is Hegra, Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site. A 52-hectare ancient city, Hegra was the principal southern city of the Nabataean Kingdom and is comprised of 140 well-preserved tombs, many with elaborate facades cut out of the sandstone outcrops surrounding the walled urban settlement. Current research also suggests Hegra was the most southern outpost of the Roman Empire after the Roman's conquered the Nabataeans in 106 CE. In addition to Hegra, AlUla is also home to ancient Dadan, the capital of the Dadan and Lihyan Kingdoms and considered to be one of the most developed 1st millennium BCE cities of the Arabian Peninsula, and Jabal Ikmah, an open air library of hundreds of inscriptions and writings in many different languages, which has been recently listed on the UNESCO's memory of the World Register. Also AlUla Old Town Village, a labyrinth of more than 900 mudbrick homes developed from at least the 12th century, which has been selected as one of the World's Best Tourism Villages in 2022 by the UNWTO.
Arab News
20-06-2025
- General
- Arab News
Pesticides workshop held in AlUla
ALULA: A workshop, titled Safe Handling of Palm and Date Pest Pesticides, was held on Friday in the AlUla Governorate. The event, which was organized by the National Center for Palms and Dates, in collaboration with the Royal Commission for AlUla, took place in the agricultural sector of the commission's headquarters. The workshop targeted farm owners, agricultural workers, and those interested in the sector. It aimed to raise awareness about safe pesticide use while enhancing efficiency in agricultural pest control in a way that improves production quality while ensuring environmental safety. The workshop was part of a series of different guidance programs and workshops implemented by the National Center for Palms and Dates throughout the year in many regions of the Kingdom. They bid to support the agricultural sector's development and enhance sustainability practices.
Arab News
29-05-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Ancient Saudi city of Qurh a historic stop for pilgrim and trade caravans
ALULA: Qurh, an ancient city in Saudi Arabia's AlUla governorate, is one of the most prominent historical caravan stops, having served for centuries as a vital hub along the routes of pilgrims and traders, according to the Saudi Press Agency. Located about 20 kilometers south of AlUla's old town, near the village of Mughayra, Qurh is one of the Royal Commission for AlUla's archaeological sites. AlUla's other main heritage sites are Dadan, Hegra and the Old Town. Qurh's ruins spread across an expansive plain surrounded by medium-height mountains. The ruins include remnants of architectural structures, marketplaces, streets, and palaces, all of which highlight the city's once-thriving economic and urban life. Architectural features dating back to the early Islamic periods also suggest that settlement and cultural growth continued after the advent of Islam. Known for its commercial activity since pre-Islamic times, Qurh was the capital of Wadi Al-Qura and a center for Arab markets, as described by the historian Hisham ibn al-Kalbi, who identified it as a commercial and cultural center and a cradle of the arts. The city was located on the route of the historic Incense Road, a trade artery used to transport precious goods from the southern Arabian Peninsula to the north, passing through Wadi Al-Qura. According to Abdulrahman Alsuhaibani, the RCA's vice president for culture, the excavations in Qurh have so far proved "that there was some interaction with China at the beginning of the Islamic period." "Evidence exists of interactions and trade extending as far as China. With the China, for example, merchants who brought porcelain, medicines and silk to Arabia with incense for sure, ivory, while other valuables travelled in the opposite directions," he said in an interview produced by FT Longitude in partnership with The Royal Commission for AlUla. AlUla, at present part of Saudi Arabia's western province of Madinah, has been home throughout history to the ancient Dadanites, Lihyanites, Nabataeans, Sabaeans, Minoans, Egyptian, Romans and Arabs.
Arab News
25-05-2025
- Arab News
AlUla's rawi historians tell tales as old as time
JEDDAH: In the timeless landscape of AlUla, stories are not only carved or marked into rock — they are carried in the hearts and voices of its people. Among those preserving and sharing memories is Aljawharah Ibrahim Abdulkarim, a rawi — or oral storyteller — in the heritage, culture and events department at the Royal Commission for AlUla. She told Arab News: 'Several years ago I took a number of tour guiding courses and decided to pursue a career in this field. I was born and raised in AlUla, so I grew up hearing stories and learning about AlUla Old Town from my parents and relatives who lived there, which allowed me to better understand the history of the site.' Storytelling for Abdulkarim is not just a job, but a mission. As a native of AlUla, she offers a rare blend of authenticity and academic insight, which she weaves into the tours she leads. She added: 'Since I've lived in AlUla my entire life, I've witnessed its amazing transformation over the years. Through my work as a rawi I've also seen firsthand the exciting future that lies ahead for this unique place. All of these experiences have helped enrich my personal story of AlUla.' The rawi has historically played an important role in Arab culture, serving as a reciter of poetry and stories. A trilingual speaker — fluent in her native Arabic, as well as in English and French — Abdulkarim represents the next generation of rawis that will show, and tell, the tales of their ancestors. She said: 'I first started learning English in AlUla. Later, I had the opportunity to travel to France on an RCU scholarship created especially for AlUla students. While there I learned French and obtained my master's degree in international hospitality management.' Her ability to connect with international visitors became a key asset, and she added: 'The fact that I am a trilingual rawi helps me to better understand the different tourists that come to AlUla, offer more personalized responses to their questions, and share with them the special story of AlUla. 'I've also had the chance to represent AlUla and my colleagues across several conferences and campaigns in the Kingdom and globally, connecting me with an even broader audience.' While much research has been devoted to ancient sites like Dadan and Hegra, Abdulkarim is passionate about shedding light on AlUla — especially the human stories of AlUla's Old Town. She said: 'There is a lot of available historical information and research for different ancient civilizations, especially for sites in Dadan and Hegra. However, when it comes to places like AlUla Old Town, it is quite different as we are talking about contemporary history.' What sets her storytelling apart is her commitment to blending historical accuracy with personal memory — without conflating the two. She said: 'The people who once lived there are still with us today, and they're able to share their stories in their own words. 'During my tours I usually start by sharing historical facts, and then I include memories from my father and family. I make sure to keep the two separate, so the history and personal stories are both respected and clearly understood.' Beyond those narratives, Abdulkarim regularly invites other community members to lend their voices to the tours. She added: 'During our tours we also invite members of the local community to participate by sharing their stories and knowledge, helping us to tell the broader history of AlUla, through the voices of those who have lived it.' These efforts are especially resonant during themed tours in which the history is deeply personal. She added: 'For example, during one of our special tours in Ramadan, called Ramadan Memories, my father contributed by sharing how the people of Old Town used to spend the holy month, recounting their daily routines, the food they prepared, their work, and their cherished traditions. In doing so, we offer our valued guests a truly unique and personal experience.' Preserving and presenting heritage in such moments is more than recounting stories — it is about keeping the very culture and voice alive for future generations. She said: 'Sharing our heritage with people is crucial to prevent it from being lost, especially as elements of heritage can also be intangible. 'AlUla is a jewel to us, and persevering the heritage of the city not only helps to protect our past but also safeguards our present and shapes our future.' That future is being actively protected, and she added: 'Today, for example, we have the first Saudi Heritage Ranger team that are working hard to protect our tangible heritage in our historical and archaeological sites for the coming generations.' In AlUla, the past is not forgotten: It is spoken, heard and passed down with pride. Through voices like Abdulkarim's, these stories — some as old as time — are finding new ears.
