Emir of Tabuk Prince Fahd Bin Sultan; Prince Sultan Bin Salman, president of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA); and other dignitaries at the event marking World Heritage Day in Tabuk on Monday. — SPA Saudi Gazette report TABUK — Saudi Arabia observed World Heritage Day at a special function in Tabuk on Monday. Emir of Tabuk Prince Fahd Bin Sultan and Prince Sultan Bin Salman, president of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA), attended the function that was jointly organized by the local STCA branch and Tabuk University. World Heritage Day is observed globally every year on April 18 and was first celebrated in 1982. It is an initiative of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) that has also been endorsed by UNESCO. A special exhibition containing photos and films showing the historic sites in Tabuk was organized on the occasion. The event also contained photos from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Program to Care for Civilization and Heritage. The two princes viewed replicas of two projects to develop the historical Tabuk Castle and develop the sea front and historical sites in the city. During the function, Prince Fahd was chosen as “Man of the Year” for developing heritage in the region. He accepted the title and said he would bestow this honor on the martyrs and soldiers participating in the Decisive Storm operation. Addressing the function, Prince Sultan said the standing instructions of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman to him were to give much attention to preserving the Kingdom's historical heritage. “The program of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to care for heritage will consolidate the ties between the citizens and their homeland and also boost their link to their history,” he said. Prince Sultan said the SCTA aimed to link heritage to the national economy and employment of Saudis. “The commission will create a large number of job opportunities for young Saudi men and women. “Our main objective is to extricate the concept of national unity from the books and place it on the ground.” Abdulaziz Bin Saud Al-Anzi, president of Tabuk University who also addressed the function, lauded the partnership between the university and the SCTA and said the former is planning to open a college for tourism and heritage.
