Prince Sultan Bin Salman, President of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCT), held a meeting at his office in Riyadh with Dr. Ghassan Al Sulaiman, Chairman of City Center Development Company (CCDC) and members of the CCDC management team, to review plans for the rehabilitation of the historic area in the center of Jeddah. CCDC is the consortium responsible for the Jeddah Central Development Project (JCDP) and works in cooperation with the municipality of Jeddah. Restoration of the historic buildings with their unique architectural features is a key part of JCDP plans to preserve the city's cultural heritage for future generations of Saudis and visitors to the city. Tourism is one of the main sectors in the plans for Jeddah's future and the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities is playing a leadership role in implementing initiatives and acting in advisory and supervisory capacities to ensure that the Kingdom's natural, historical and cultural assets are protected and preserved according to world class standards. Included in the meeting's agenda was the registration of Jeddah's historical area on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites along with Madain Salih and Dari'eyah. Prince Sultan bin Salman expressed the Commission's support for CCDC's vision and the company's plans to respect the city's cultural identity and bring its historic buildings back to life, assuring the CCDC delegates of his trust in the consortium's local and international expertise that is bringing the JCDP to reality. He said the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities works with government and private institutions in carrying out its mission, noting that this includes the Commission's partnership with CCDC to achieve their shared vision to restore Jeddah's historic center to its rightful place as the heart of the city. Al Sulaiman said: “We could not have advanced to this stage of the project without the great support given by the SCT under the presidency of His Royal Highness. We now look forward to unifying our efforts with the Commission to ensure that only best practices are adopted in the development project in order to successfully achieve its objectives and put Jeddah's historic center on the world tourism map.” The Riyadh meeting is being followed-up with an ongoing series of workshops and meetings in Jeddah to continue cooperation between SCT and CCDC and develop other plans for the future. While preserving and restoring the city's historic buildings and monuments, the JCDP will expand Jeddah's role as a major hub of domestic and international economic activity, enhance its position as a principal gateway to the Two Holy Mosques, and make a significant contribution to improving the quality of life for the entire community of Jeddah.
