PRESERVING HERITAGE: Prince Sultan bin Salman, president of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA), tours an exhibition held on the sidelines of a heritage forum in Riyadh after opening the event on Wednesday. (SPA)
Prince Sultan bin Salman, president of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) announced Thursday the start of a program in South Korea for the training of Saudi male and female artisans to revive and develop the accuracy of ancient crafts.
He indicated that the program will be launched in other countries too, including Japan, Morocco and Turkey, among others. Prince Sultan made the announcement while inaugurating a forum in RIyadh under the title: "The Restoration of Heritage and Arts."
The forum was organized by the Saudi Heritage Preservation Society (SHPS), which also held the fourth meeting of its general assembly on the same day under the chairmanship of the SCTA president, in order to asses recent developments in heritage protection.
The Kingdom joined hands with UNESCO on Thursday to observe World Heritage Day as part of its efforts to revive levels of national appreciation for Saudi Arabia's rich heritage under the theme: "No Past, No Future."
World Heritage Day is celebrated every year on April 18 to recognize heritage as the shared wealth of humankind and of society that can tell us about our past, can shape our present environment and can provide the essential resources needed for our development in the future.
After the inaugural ceremony, Prince Sultan toured the exhibition including the pavilions of public and private agencies, and various associations working on cultural heritage preservation. The handicraft and heritage gallery at the exhibition showcases a selection of heritage treasures and tools used in the past, providing all visitors a unique opportunity to get up close and personal with objects that tell the Kingdom's story
Commenting on such forums, Prince Sultan lauded the national program for the development of handicrafts as a great economic program that develops and better organizes the handicraft and heritage sectors, and which is succeeding in creating professional zones of manufacturing for craftsmen as an important economic contributor in the Kingdom.Source: arabnews