Riyadh revels in World Heritage Day festivities

The historic mud palaces in the capital will host the celebrations

World Heritage Day will showcase historic Saudi sites such as Riyadh's Masmak Fort, which dates back to 1865. EPA

Saudi Arabia will on Monday celebrate Unesco's World Heritage Day with the launch of a series of events and activities in the capital Riyadh.

The Saudi Heritage Authority will host the celebrations in Riyadh's historic mud palaces, where they will showcase a number of heritage sites in various regions of the country.

The authority announced its list of activities, aimed at highlighting the importance of preserving national heritage, in a tweet on Sunday.

A photo exhibition of the UN cultural agency Unesco's World Heritage Sites will be on display, in addition to a special corner featuring the history and tradition of making and serving Saudi coffee.

The Heritage Authority and the UAE Ministry of Culture and Youth will also screen a number of films conveying the common cultural heritage elements of the kingdom and the UAE.

Live performances by artisans and interactive activities will be featured in a number of cities in the kingdom, as well as popular games reflecting Saudi heritage.

Through these events, the Heritage Authority is aiming to highlight the kingdom's efforts to preserve its national heritage. This is represented by the registration of six heritage sites on Unesco's World Heritage List, and nine heritage elements on Unesco's List of Intangible Heritage.

Other heritage sites will also be participating, said a Saudi Press Agency (SPA) statement, including the House of Craftsmen in Buraidah; the House of Craftsmen in Unaizah; and the House of Craftsmen in the Amiri School in the Al Ahsa region.

Last week, the Heritage Authority announced the registration of 253 archaeological and historical sites in the Aseer and Hail regions.