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The guardians of Hegra: Unlocking AlUla’s stories
Home to 111 monumental Nabataean tombs dating back to the 1st century AD, Hegra stood in silent testimony to an era of cultural exchanges, where civilizations left their imprint on the landscape. But today, the quiet was filled with voices—experts, historians, and local storytellers—gathered to breathe life into the ancient stones.
In a remarkable collaboration, UNESCO and the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), alongside the International Centre for the Interpretation & Presentation of World Heritage Sites (WHIPIC) and the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage (ARC-WH), initiated a groundbreaking effort: a workshop series dedicated to unlocking the stories of Hegra. This endeavor sought to create a comprehensive interpretation framework, ensuring that visitors not only see ’s grandeur but understand the layers of history it embodies.
The journey began with the international seminar on visitor centres held in AlUla from 17 to 19 February 2024, titled World Heritage Visitor Centres Best Practice Explorations. This seminar explored best practices in visitor centre design, management, and interpretation to inform future plans for Hegra.
This was followed by a workshop in Paris from 27 to 29 May 2024, setting the stage for discussions on how to effectively present heritage sites to the world. Months later, in December, the first phase of the second workshop took place virtually, where participants delved into WHIPIC’s newly developed “Guidelines for Planning World Heritage Interpretation and Presentation Strategy: An Inclusive Approach.” It was here that gaps in historical knowledge were identified, and new pathways for research, oral histories, and scholarly contributions were explored.
The next milestone came in February 2025, from the 26th to 18th, when an immersive, on-site experience was hel in AlUla. In the desert, amidst the very tombs and inscriptions they sought to interpret, experts and community members walked the ancient pathways, feeling the presence of those who came before them. It was in these moments that the site’s true custodians, the Rawis and Rangers, emerged as the heart of the storytelling effort.
The Rawis—AlUla’s local storytellers—and the Rangers—its vigilant site custodians—shared narratives that could not be found in books. Their deep-rooted knowledge, passed down through generations, painted a picture of Hegra that was more than just stone and script.
Experiencing heritage sites in AlUla with the Rawis and Rangers allowed us to engage in a uniquely profound way. Their local knowledge and expertise bring dimensions to the site that traditional interpretations often overlook.
Sungre Lee, another WHIPIC trainer, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing how the Rawis and Rangers were more than just guides. “They are the custodians of AlUla’s unique narrative,” he said. “Through them, we don’t just study history; we experience it.” As discussions unfolded under the desert sky, the workshop reinforced ’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV)—the foundation upon which its interpretation strategy would be built. By integrating international best practices with local expertise, this initiative sought to enhance visitor engagement while ensuring the site’s long-term sustainability.
When the workshop concluded, the echoes of the Rawis’ voices still lingered among the tombs, as if they had awakened ’s silent sentinels. This was no longer just an archaeological site; it was a living, breathing testament to a culture that refused to be forgotten. Through collaboration and storytelling, ’s past will be unlocked, not just for the scholars who studied it, but for every visitor who would walk its sacred grounds in the years to come.
Learn more about UNESCO’s AlUla: Renaissance of an Oasis Project here.
Read more on UNESCO Culture Sector’s work here.
