RIYADH — AlUla Governorate in the northwest of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is scheduled to host the meetings of 116th ordinary session of the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) from January 25 to 27, with the participation of 21 Arab countries.

During the meeting, members of the board and country representatives will discuss several subjects that serve ALECSO goals in the Arab world and develop the work of the organization in the region.

It is the second time Saudi Arabia is hosting the ALECSO meetings. They were hosted in Taif 42 years ago in 1979.

The AlUla meeting will discuss several issues pertaining to the future of the organization and its strategic plans in the near future.

The meeting comes some six months after Saudi Arabia took over the presidency of the Executive Board of ALECSO. Saudi Arabia works with the organization to contribute to developing its goals and joint action among brotherly Arab countries.

This reflects the Kingdom’s keenness and leading role in improving the educational, cultural and scientific fields, especially that it has always been and will continue to be among the top contributors in enhancing and bridging cultural gaps among Arab peoples and supporting innovation and entrepreneurship in various fields.

AlUla's hosting of the meeting constitutes an important dimension with overlapping fields between the organization’s work and the historical, civil and cultural status of AlUla that forms a meeting point for old civilizations.

The city is considered a historical museum dating back to thousands of years with natural wonders, historical sites and archeological monuments that were preserved over centuries.

AlUla dates back to 200,000 years, making it an exceptional global destination as an incubator for natural beauty and unique human heritage. The major portion of this heritage is yet to be discovered and it is a government concern.