IN BRIEF

NEWS

From May 21-25, during the 19^th annual Jardins, Jardin show, organized in the park grounds of the Villa Windsor in Paris, the AlUla oasis was a particular highlight. This major event, dedicated to the creation of landscapes in urban environments, invited the public to explore the diverse and ever-evolving world of gardens and their creators. The installation "AlUla, Forever Revitalising", conceived of by Pierre-Alexandre Risser under the aegis of the Royal Commission for AlUla and the French Agency for AlUla Development, helped convey the beauty and ecological ingenuity of a landscape shaped by the desert, offering visitors a true journey of the senses. At its center, a crystal tent displayed photographs by Gilles Bensimon, immersing visitors in the unique landscapes, colors and light of AlUla.

ALULA IN BLOOM

AT VILLA WINDSOR

ALULA IN BLOOM

AT VILLA WINDSOR

On the occasion of the 14^th biennial ICAANE congress (International Congress on the Archaeology of the Ancient Near East), which was held in Lyon, June 2-7, archaeological teams from missions led by AFALULA, on behalf of the RCU, presented their work on the key sites including Dadan, the Old Town, the Oasis, Khaybar and Umm Daraj. The congress provided an opportunity to share recent scientific advances, highlight the richness of archaeological contexts in the Middle East, promote the diversity of methodological approaches in the field, and actively contribute to international and interdisciplinary dialogue.

REVEALING

THE ARCHAEOLOGY

OF THE ANCIENT MIDDLE EAST

Last June 13, an AFALULA delegation, led by its Chairman, Jean-Yves Le Drian, took part in Viva Technology 2025, the largest European trade show dedicated to high-tech and start-ups. This participation highlighted the Innovation program, co-created with the Royal Commission for AlUla, as part of Booster Grow Global — a Saudi Arabian initiative in partnership with Business France Middle East. The program supports the development of French companies in the Saudi market, reaffirming the shared ambition to make AlUla a territory of innovation.

AT THE FOREFRONT OF INNOVATION

Jean-Yves Le Drian spoke at the Gulf Vision 2025 forum, organized by Business France at the Ministry of Economy, Finance, and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty on June 17-18. The intervention by AFALULA’s Chairman highlighted the close collaboration between France and Saudi Arabia in the development of AlUla as well as the central role of this territory in the economic and cultural dynamics of the region. This was also an opportunity to emphasize that the oasis city not only constitutes a strong symbol of the Kingdom's identity and the history of the Middle East but is also a living laboratory, implementing the Saudi government’s plan to modernize the Kingdom.

AFALULA SETS OUT

ITS VISION

Entre novembre 2023 et janvier 2024, cinq artistes ont été accueillis en résidence à AlUla. Conçu par la Commission Royale pour AlUla (RCU) et AFALULA, ce programme offre une opportunité unique aux artistes régionaux et internationaux : créer dans un lieu unique et s’en inspirer.

RÉSIDENCE D'ARTISTES À ALULA

2025 was marked by the second annual AlUla Design Residency, led by Arts AlUla in collaboration with the French Agency for AlUla Development. Five talents — Altin Studio, Aseel Alamoudi, Ori Orisun Merhav, Paul Ledron and Studio ThusThat — were invited to explore the theme Material Witness, drawing inspiration from the natural, agricultural and urban dimensions of the oasis landscape. Under the artistic direction of Dominique Petit-Frère, co-founder of the Ghanaian studio Limbo Accra, the residency facilitated the creation of several projects, bringing together local communities and artisans at the intersection of heritage and contemporary creation. The works resulting from this experience will be unveiled during the AlUla Arts Festival in January 2026. This collaboration illustrates our ambition to make AlUla a living laboratory of innovation and creation, where tradition and modernity meet.

ALULA DESIGN RESIDENCY:

A PROMISSING SECOND YEAR

On September 4, the Culture and Innovation roundtable, co-organized by AFALULA and Villa Hegra, was held at the Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie in Paris as part of the Think Culture event. The speakers — Feriel Fodil, CEO of Villa Hegra; Ingrid Périssé-Valéro, Director of Archaeology and Heritage at AFALULA; and Hervé Lemoine, President of the Mobilier national — led a discussion on the contemporary challenges of heritage preservation, cultural innovation and intercultural dialogue, using Villa Hegra as a case study.