Ashraf AboArafe
The Heritage Authority signed a joint cooperation agreement with Waseda University, Japan, to carry out archaeological survey and excavation work at the Al-Hawraa site in Umluj Governorate in the Tabuk region for a period of five years.
The signing ceremony took place at the Heritage Authority’s headquarters in the King Abdulaziz Historical Center, where the Authority was represented by its CEO, Dr. Jasser bin Sulaiman Al-Harbash, while the Japanese side was represented by Dr. Hasegawa Su from the Comprehensive Research Organization at Waseda University.
This memorandum included cooperation between the two parties in the field of surveying and excavation at the Al-Hawraa archaeological site, through which a scientific team from the university will be able to participate in carrying out archaeological surveying and excavation work with its counterpart, the Saudi scientific team, while providing the opportunity for the Japanese side to accompany a group of students from Japanese universities, centers and scientific institutions to participate in the project. The scientific project aims to train and conduct specialized scientific research.
This memorandum comes in light of the great efforts led by the Heritage Authority to expand national and international scientific partnerships in cooperation with universities and specialized scientific centers from inside and outside the Kingdom, to carry out archaeological survey and excavation work in the various cultural heritage sites that the Kingdom abounds in. It also reflects the Ministry of Culture’s keenness to enhance exchange. International Cultural Center as one of its strategic goals that it seeks to achieve under the umbrella of Saudi Vision 2030 and its strategic goals that include developing the Saudi contribution and national culture.
