RIYADH — The Royal Institute of Traditional Arts (RITA) has launched its first branch in Jeddah, with choosing Historic Jeddah as its headquarters. RITA was established as an initiative of the Quality of Life Program, one the Kingdom's Vision 2030 Realization Programs. Choosing Historic Jeddah as the headquarters of the institute is an indication of the interest shown in historical architecture and preserving the Saudi style of building architecture in all its forms. This will be a great milestone in the Kingdom's emerging cultural scene as the institute is poised to contribute effectively to reflecting a shining image of the Kingdom's ancient and distinguished cultural heritage. Dr. Suzan Al-Yahya, director general of RITA, emphasized that the opening of this cultural edifice is an extension of the Kingdom's quest to reshape its cultural landscape in a positive way consistent with the goals of the Vision 2030. "Our country has a lot of diversity in the cultural heritage. Through the institute's branch in Jeddah, we will seek to highlight and preserve it and empower young Saudi cadres with expertise and skills in this field, to be an extension of previous generations that preserved and developed this heritage, which made it a witness to the history of the Kingdom's successes and made a distinguished name for it in the field of traditional arts," she said. The architecture in Historic Jeddah in Balad neighborhood is characterized by architectural components that elevated the region's cultural and artistic value, apart from Historic Jeddah's finding a place in UNESCO's World Heritage List besides being the gateway to Makkah and Madinah. In this perspective, RITA is working to revive the traditional arts and cultural heritage of the place. Al-Yahya noted the Saudi youth are creative and have a lot of passion for success and excellence in the field of traditional arts. "We can introduce the authentic Saudi culture, which carries love and peace for the whole world, to the youth so that they can take them to all over the world," she added. It is worth mentioning that RITA, in partnership with the Prince Charles Foundation for Traditional Arts, is offering the Architecture Diploma Program in Historic Jeddah as an educational experience of the highest standards to revive the traditional and urban architecture of Historic Jeddah with an emphasis on preserving the material cultural heritage. The program offers a mixture of crafts and design principles that will develop knowledge and skills by blending theoretical and applied methodologies, in addition to instilling awareness of the importance of cultural heritage in the contemporary context of architecture and handicrafts in Historic Jeddah, to renew traditional arts and craft skills and ensure their sustainability and support graduates with opportunities to engage in restoration and revival projects in Historic Jeddah. As of 2025, the King Salman Park in Riyadh is set to host RITA's main campus, which will feature four art academies, three cinema halls, an external theater, a cultural educational center, a national theater, and five specialized museums. A few weeks ago, RITA had kicked off its executive programs aimed at providing an innovative environment to develop potentials in Saudi traditional arts through educational, cultural, and social programs. The institute's goal is to emphasize the national identity by enriching and promoting the traditional arts, in addition to motivating and training local skills and talents, and providing educational programs in this field. The institute seeks to contribute to preserving the tangible and intangible assets of traditional arts, raising the level of awareness in the Kingdom, promoting these arts locally and globally, and encouraging and supporting the efforts made to maintain them. In September this year, RITA announced the opening of registration for its first six training courses and that include wicker making with palm leaves, Sadu weaving, hand embroidery, pottery making, in addition to an introductory course on UNESCO and a course on identifying and inventorying intangible cultural heritage based on the local community. These courses highlight the important role of the institute in strengthening national capabilities and raising the level of awareness and knowledge in the fields of traditional arts. The training courses are available at RITA's Riyadh headquarters to all citizens who are at least 18 years old. Those who are interested to register can complete their registration through the institute's website https://trita.edu.sa.
