Saudi Arabia in UNESCO

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - Saudi Arabia was one of the first countries to participate in the establishment of UNESCO in 1946. It was among the pioneer twenty countries that gathered in London right after World War II to establish the organization that sought to consolidate a true culture of peace based on intellectual and moral solidarity in order to prevent another world war.

In 1964, Saudi Arabia appointed Hamad Bin Abdullah al-Khuwaiter as its first permanent delegate to UNESCO. On January 15, 2020, HH Princess Haifa al-Mogrin was appointed to occupy this position.

Saudi Arabia's basic contributions to UNESCO clearly demonstrate Saudi Arabia's efforts to enhance access to education, global scientific cooperation, and cross-cultural relationships. Through its practical participation in the organization, Saudi Arabia seeks to protect and preserve its national heritage by enriching cultural and traditional experiences and adding historical and touristic Saudi locations to the list of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites. Moreover, Saudi Arabia is trying to protect its natural preserves and empower lifelong learning opportunities, which is an important part of Saudi Vision 2030.

As a member of UNESCO, Saudi Arabia represents the interests of the Arab world at the United Nations. Furthermore, it is training workers in the heritage sector to achieve long-term prosperity through Saudi Vision 2030, as well as the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Saudi Arabia supported UNESCO since its establishment. In 1984, when the United States of America withdrew from the organization, Saudi Arabia made a significant contribution to the organization’s budget to ensure the sustainability of its diverse projects and activities around the globe. In 2011, Saudi Arabia also made another generous donation to UNESCO to ensure its continuity.

Saudi Arabia allocated USD25 million to support UNESCO by signing a Letter of Intent on July 12, 2019, to fund the organization's strategic programs and its activities related to preserving heritage.

In 2007, Saudi Arabia became a member of the Executive Council of UNESCO, thus enhancing its international presence in the organization and becoming a key player in the decision-making process. In 2012, Saudi Arabia was re-elected for the second time, and for the position of Vice President of the Executive Council for the Arab Group. At the fortieth session of the UNESCO General Conference in 2019, Saudi Arabia was elected once more to become a member of the organization’s executive board.

The Permanent Delegation of Saudi Arabia to UNESCO ensures coordination between Saudi Arabia and UNESCO’s other member states. It also participates in a number of UNESCO bodies and committees since Saudi Arabia is a key player in the global decision-making process. Moreover, Saudi Arabia was elected to the Executive Board of UNESCO in 2019 for a period of four years. It was also elected to be a member of UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (specialized in marine science and oceanography) from 2021 until 2023.

In 2021, Saudi Arabia was elected Vice Chair of the World Heritage Committee for the Arab Group, and its membership was extended until 2023. It became a member of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Intergovernmental Committee for the 2020-2024 cycle, and was also elected Vice Chair of the Global Task Force for Making a Decade of Action for Indigenous Languages for the 2022-2032 cycle.

Rock Art in Jubbah, Hail. (SPA)

In 2008, Saudi Arabia enlisted Hegra as the first Saudi archaeological site on UNESCO's World Heritage List. Two years later, al-Turaif District in Diriyah was the second Saudi archaeological site to enter the list in 2010. In 2014, Historic Jeddah was added to the list, followed in 2015 by rock art in Jubbah and Shuwaymis southeast of Hail. Al-Ahsa Oasis was also added in 2018, followed by Hima Cultural Area in Najran in the year 2021, becoming the sixth Saudi site on UNESCO's World Heritage List. Then, Uruq Bani Ma'arid Reserve was added in 2023. Moreover, the Cultural Landscape of Al-Faw Archaeological Site was added in 2024.

Historical wells in cultural Hama, Najran Province. (SPA)

Al-Ahsa Oasis, east Saudi Arabia. (Saudipedia)

Many agreements were signed between Saudi Arabia and UNESCO, including an agreement to establish the King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Program for a Culture of Peace and Dialogue at UNESCO in 2010. Moreover, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Award for Translation was held at UNESCO headquarters in Paris. A memorandum of understanding was also signed between the King Abdulaziz Center for National Dialogue and UNESCO to promote the importance of dialogue between different peoples and religions. In 2014, under the patronage of UNESCO, the Regional Center for Quality and Excellence in Education in the Arab Region was established to ensure the right to education for all and improve its outputs as one of the most important pillars of sustainable development.

In 2015, Saudi Arabia held diverse programs to develop education. In 2016, a memorandum of cooperation was signed between Misk Foundation and UNESCO to empower youth around the world, in addition to the International NGO Award granted by Misk Foundation, and its sponsorship of the UNESCO NGO Forum in Moscow, Russia, in 2018. In 2017, Riyadh hosted the NGO Forum to enable the world’s youth to make a positive social impact.

In 2020, along with hosting the G20 Leaders’ Summit, Saudi Arabia held a meeting for culture ministers, which was adopted by UNESCO. Moreover, it supported several future international agendas and programs by hosting many regional and international workshops.

Among its cultural activities at the organization, Saudi Arabia held two Saudi poetry evenings. The first was in 2009 for the poet Ghazi al-Gosaibi, and the second was in 2019 for the poet HRH Prince Badr Bin Abdul Mohsin. In the same year, a memorandum of cooperation was signed between the Ministry of Culture and UNESCO, in the presence of the Minister of Culture and the Director-General of UNESCO.

Saudi Arabia contributed to Islamic and Arab history and antiquities on several occasions through its efforts in UNESCO. In 1984, Saudi Arabia submitted the oldest Islamic inscription in the Kufic script, documenting the death date of the second Caliph of Islam. This documentation on UNESCO's list will preserve its memory all around the world. In 2003, the program of HRH Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz was established to support and preserve the Arabic language as a major language in UNESCO. Later in 2006, the first Saudi research chair in UNESCO was established, in cooperation with King Saud University. Finally, in 2010, Saudi Arabia mobilized support to vote for the State of Palestine to become a member of UNESCO.