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I Care

Help us protect the past, to build the future.

AlUla and Saudi Arabia Have a Precious Jewel: Our Heritage.

Our heritage is a powerful reminder of who we are as a nation; a manifestation of where we come from, where we are going, and the thread that runs through it. It is a symbol of our future as much as it is of our past, and it is irreplaceable. It holds us together.

You can help change this. As an individual, a family, a school, and a community, you can act, divert and influence behaviour. The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) has launched the I Care campaign to highlight the importance of conserving Saudi Arabia’s cultural heritage.

What is “I Care”?

I Care is a heritage conservation project by RCU aimed at driving a greater appreciation of Saudi Arabia’s cultural heritage. It promotes the safeguarding of the country’s rich tangible and intangible cultural assets. I Care highlights the importance of heritage preservation in boosting the community’s quality of life. The project promotes the safeguarding of cultural assets to advance economic development, in line with Saudi Vision 2030.

Guardian of AlUla

RCU is the guardian of AlUla’s cultural heritage. Teams sponsored by RCU are studying and conserving archaeological sites in AlUla and the neighbouring oasis of Khaybar to ensure that these remnants of the past continue to illuminate north-west Arabia’s cultural roots for generations to come.

Cultural preservation extends beyond artefacts. RCU also organises vibrant festivals and events showcasing the local traditions, such as traditional music and poetry, that are enduring strands of AlUla’s cultural tapestry.

RCU implements educational programmes and campaigns to instil pride and responsibility among AlUla’s residents towards their heritage. As AlUla embraces tourism, RCU adopts a sustainable-regeneration approach, carefully managing visitor access to protect cultural assets and the environment. Balancing tourism with conservation ensures that AlUla’s treasures are accessible for future generations.

Protect the Past to Build the Future

This ephemeral art installation enveloping the iconic Tomb of Lihyan, son of Kuza, at Hegra—Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site—is a component of the I Care heritage conservation campaign by RCU. Taking the form of two protective hands emerging from the sand and encircling the tomb, it symbolises the need for collective action to conserve Saudi Arabia’s cultural heritage. The installation incorporates traditional Arabic patterns in the flowing sleeves, seamlessly blending in with the natural landscape. Notably, due to its scale, the artwork can only be seen from the sky.

With collaborative efforts from the AlUla community, the I Care artwork was created by US artist David Popa using exclusively natural elements, including yellow earth from Europe and red earth from the Middle East. Over time, it will naturally fade away, serving the purpose of drawing attention to the importance of conserving Saudi Arabia’s rich heritage.

David Popa

David Popa is an American artist currently based in Finland. His interest in art spawned from a mentorship with his father, Albert Popa, who was one of the first graffiti writers in New York and who taught him traditional painting at a young age. Popa’s adventures outside the studio spurred him to pursue the arts full time. His interest in street art and contemporary muralism was the catalyst for the work he presently creates. His current body of work uses all-natural pigments mixed only with source water to create site-specific, ephemeral earth-works captured through the eye of a drone. The large-scale work Popa paints, mostly on islands/islets in the Nordic region, are documented and portrayed through photography short films and most recently as NFTs (unique digital works of art).

Sketch Book

The I Care campaign also has a special consideration for AlUla’s younger generation, recognising their vital role in preserving the cultural landscape for the future. RCU has created a captivating colouring book to engage and educate children. This engaging resource sheds light on the significance of heritage protection, and explores the profound connections between landmarks, community stories, daily life, and traditions.

Download Sketch Book