With now seven French archeological missions in the Kingdom, trainings given by experts of the National institute of heritage, the National Scientific Research Center (CNRS) and the French Ministry of Culture as well as the large French participation during the last Arabic international forum dedicated to built heritage, the Embassy of France has initiated a prolific cooperation. Befitting with the Vision 2030 (on the project of touristic transformation and preservation of heritage, $10.5 billion have been announced from now up to 2020 and almost $30 billion from now up to 2030), France is eager to make this cooperation a success and to turn the different opportunities of collaboration into durable partnerships and contracts. Cultural Heritage contributing to tourist activity development As part of Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia intends to implement ambitious targets for 2020: to open 85 new museums, to double the archaeological sites open to visitors as well as to triple the UNESCO World Heritage sites in the Kingdom. Helped by its ancient expertise in Saudi Arabia, France should be able to enforce its knowhow in the following fields: museography, rehabilitation/preservation of national heritage, development and management of tourism heritage sites and public reception. Several French organizations could be involved in this project such as the National Institute of Heritage (INP), French museums, the French National Office of Tourism, schools (Ecole de Chartres, Arts et Métiers) or architectural associations such as the International Center for Mud Construction (CRA–Terre) which work on the recognition of the mud material. For instance, the Saudi Commission of Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH) wishes that CRA-Terre could help it to develop standards in the field of mud architecture and to create in the near future, a Saudi Institute dedicated to mud constructions. The dedicated authorities expect a lot from the private sector, particularly from the Public Work Buildings sector, as well. In April 2017, Saudi Arabia will open in Riyadh its 6th National forum dedicated to built heritage. This forum is expected to be largely devoted to private sector and especially to construction companies. The final projects may result to calls for tenders. The SCTH encourages future promoters who want to answer the calls for tenders to locally build onto with Saudi structures. Concerning the cultural area at large, the French expertise is ready to contribute to develop the future royal complex of art and of a Media city through its globally recognized expertise. Archeology, standard bearer of French research in Saudi Arabia Since 2006, work and excavation authorizations of French archeologists have been strongly supported as much by the Arabic Commission of Archeology and Tourism than by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. With the beginning of a seventh French archeological mission in Saudi Arabia (Dutch-French) in Thaj site after the one of the Farasan islands in 2014, France enjoy — in archeological area — a leading position in Saudi Arabia. Co-directed by Jérôme Rohmer, boarder at the Thiers Foundation (CNRS/Institut de France), and Ahmad Al-Jallad, (professor associated to the University of Leyde), the purpose of this international mission is to exhume the remains of the biggest agglomeration of oriental Arabia: the antique Thaj. Last but not least, in the national inventory of the rock paintings and engravings, two French researchers (Mounir Arbach and Charly Poliakof) are working on thousands of data existing in partnership with the SCTH. This inventory will be the first stone of a possible UNESCO classification of several rock painting sites in Saudi Arabia.
