IN BRIEF

NEWS

The date festival, organized from September 30 to October 22, 2023 in AlUla, broke attendance and sales records. During the fourth annual event aiming to help local farmers in the marketing their produce, more than 1,200 tonnes were sold at auction, generating 13 million SAR in revenue. A stunning success achieved through a joint partnership between the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) and AFALULA, working together with local farmers on improved fruit quality and agricultural practices. What is our ambition? To become a benchmark regional event and an established, permanent market.

ALULA DATES:

A RECIPE ALL OF ITS OWN

The new year period was marked by the highly anticipated return of the Richard Mille AlUla Desert Polo Tournament to AlUla. From January 17 to 20, the world's best players competed against the stunning backdrop of the sandstone cliffs, delivering an exceptional show, showcasing the only modern polo tournament currently taking place in the desert. This event is part of a major project aimed at making the region an international equestrian tourist destination.

ALULA AT FULL GALLOP

On December 2, 2023, as part of the first Villa Hegra symposium, architects Anne Lacaton and Jean-Philippe Vassal hosted a fascinating masterclass. French and Saudi dignitaries and renowned panelists were presented with the architectural approach of the Pritzker-winning agency, which is also responsible for designing the building that will house the Villa. The symposium additionally hosted round-tables devoted to agriculture, the arts and the night sky.

MASTERCLASS

AT VILLA HEGRA

On January 17, 2024, the Opéra de Paris played in AlUla for the first time. The show, presented by Villa Hegra, took place in the Maraya Concert Hall, the largest mirrored building in the world.

Saudi soprano Sawsan Albahiti and prima ballerina Alice Renavand performed in front of an enthusiastic audience. Born from a partnership between the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), AFALULA and the Opéra National de Paris, this unique evening testifies to the rich cultural dialogue, initiated in 2018, between Saudi Arabia and France.

THE SOUNDS OF PARIS AT MARAYA

The 7^th annual FII Forum, which was held on October 24 and 25 in Riyadh, enabled the signing of several strategic partnerships for AlUla. In accordance with the agreement signed between Saudi Arabia and France, AFALULA is mobilizing the full range of French expertise to increase the levels of sustainable development in the region. Thales, Alstom, Suez, Dassault Systèmes and Artefact have committed to supporting this approach through intelligent solutions in the areas of cybersecurity, transport, water and waste management, urban planning and data management. Large scale projects to follow.

FIVE CONTRACTS SIGNED

WITH THE FLAGSHIP

OF FRENCH INNOVATION

Last November, young AlUlian graduates from the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) scholarship program benefited from dedicated training. The programme, designed by the AUF - Middle East university network in collaboration with AFALULA and the RCU, helped them increase their leadership, communication and entrepreneurship skills. This illustrates the success of the Franco-Saudi partnership in supporting the next generation of professionals hailing from the local community.

A HELPING HAND FOR ALULIAN STUDENTS

On November 27, 2023, the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) signed a major partnership with the Centre Pompidou at the French Ministry of Culture. Resulting from the joint agreement facilitated by AFALULA and concluded in March 2023, this partnership will contribute to AlUla's cultural outreach in the Middle East and beyond, thanks to the expertise and reputation of the French institution.

The Centre Pompidou will support the RCU in the development of cultural spaces, the management of museums and the creation of a contemporary art museum in AlUla.

AN EXCEPTIONAL PARTNERSHIP

WITH THE CENTRE POMPIDOU

On February 28 and 29, 2024, an archaeological symposium was organized in Beijing by AFALULA and the RCU in collaboration with the Saudi Cultural Center, on the sidelines of the exhibition “AlUla, Wonder of Arabia”, inaugurated at the Palace Museum of the Forbidden City on January 5. After a visit to the exhibition, Saudi, French and international experts shared the progress of their research in AlUla in a series of lectures, putting into context the sites and objects on display until March 22.