KHALED ALMAEENA The announcement by Prince Sultan Bin Salman, President of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities, highlighting the inclusion of the Jeddah Historical Area on the list of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites was greeted with joy and with a great sigh of relief. People rejoiced because there was finally official recognition of the historical background of this ancient city which, unfortunately, many of its residents know little about. People could now hope that there would be no wanton destruction of old buildings and landmarks anymore. Jeddah is a city rooted in the past. It has a unique character as a gateway to the holy city of Makkah, a stopping point on the route to India and a centuries-old melting pot of Asians, Africans and Europeans. However, with the rapid change in the city's demography due to the influx of people from towns and villages, the unchecked urban expansion and modernization as well as the lack of initiative to act to preserve the city's history, many important historical sites have been lost forever. Many of us watched with great sorrow the demolition of Al-Basha Mosque at the entrance of King Abdul Aziz Street opposite the present National Commercial Bank. The unique leaning minaret of the mosque that was similar to the Leaning Tower of Pisa was sadly bulldozed and destroyed. In the Baghdadia area there were other sites where tractors crushed and forever eradicated what was once a part of our history. Colonel T. E. Lawrence, who led the Arab tribes and the British army regulars, beautifully described his visit to Jeddah in his book “Seven Pillars of Wisdom”. Many other Orientalists also gave a vivid account of Jeddah in their books. It is unfortunate that not many people have read these history books. There were no serious attempts to preserve a lot of significant sites due to the lack of public awareness of the historical and cultural heritage of this ancient city. However, it is heartening to note that lately there have been some efforts made by Jiddawis to revive our culture and to honor our past. There is a lot of history that has to be shared and a lot more that has yet to be uncovered. For example, no one could believe that Old Jeddah, like Rome, once had well-planned aqueducts. How many of us know that the Portuguese tried and almost captured the city in the 15th century? What is most disappointing is that the original inhabitants and the old families of Jeddah watched all these years as the old city fell apart. They neglected their old houses and were not interested in their preservation. These ancient structures were rented to poor workers who caused a lot of damage. Successive mayors of Jeddah paid lip service to the protection of these historical buildings and argued that there was no budget for their maintenance. Hopefully, with the intervention of Prince Sultan Bin Salman, who is driven by passion to save whatever remains of our heritage, we can all feel relieved that all will not be lost. People all over the world take pride in their city and its history. They work hard to maintain relics of the past. However, we in Jeddah have not done anything except complain. Hopefully, now that the Jeddah Historical Area is officially listed as a World Heritage Site, we will be able to play a bigger role in preserving our city. The Kingdom has shown its determination to preserve its historical sites by approving regulations governing heritage sites and museums. The laws which provide fines and imprisonment for those who damage or destroy historical sites are a step in the right direction. It is now up to the public to support this move and help implement these laws to help us preserve our heritage and cherish our history. – The writer is Editor-at-Large. He can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter: @KhaledAlmaeena
