Diriyah named as capital of Arab culture for 2030

The city was selected by the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization due to its remarkable history and immortal cultural symbolism, Saudi Press Agency reported.

The selection means that Diriyah will become the second Saudi city to be named as the capital of Arab culture after Riyadh, which held the title in 2000.

The announcement came after the endorsement of Arab ministers of culture at an annual ALECSO meeting held in Dubai between December 19- 20, 2021.

The Kingdom’s Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan thanked King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for their great support for Saudi culture.Prince Badr stressed that choosing Diriyah as the capital of Arab culture for 2030 is a culmination of the journey of the capital of the first Saudi state and the richness that it produced over centuries, which has made it among the most prominent historical sites that have a permanent cultural impact.

Diriyah’s history goes back thousands of years - it was once an ancient trade and pilgrimage route, and a meeting spot for people traveling to or from Asia, Africa or Europe.

Its historical center is the UNESCO-listed site of Al-Turaif, which was founded in the 15th century. It contains ruins of mud-brick houses connected by narrow alleyways.

The Diriyah Tennis Cup and Diriyah ePrix are some of the annual sporting events that the area started hosting in recent years.