UNESCO Selects Heritage Commission’s ‘Al-Ahsa Deserves’ Project for Global Volunteers Initiative

   Al-Ahsa, November 19, 2025, SPA -- The Heritage Commission in Al-Ahsa, in partnership with UNESCO and the Saudi Irrigation Organization, has launched a volunteer program titled “Al-Ahsa Deserves” to raise awareness of the importance of Al-Ahsa Oasis, one of the Saudi sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
   UNESCO’s World Heritage Center selected the Heritage Commission’s “Al-Ahsa Deserves” project to be part of the World Heritage Volunteers 2025 Campaign, held under the theme “World Heritage Volunteers 2025: Working on the Future.” It is the first global volunteering initiative for World Heritage Sites to be hosted by Saudi Arabia. The initiative aims to preserve and safeguard the cultural landscape of the oasis, boost shared responsibility and raise awareness of the significance of its irrigation channels and agricultural water systems.
   The program includes field and awareness activities introducing volunteers to the agricultural irrigation channels and their history, along with on-site meetings with farmers to highlight their agricultural expertise, nature conservation efforts, and approaches to sustaining farming. It also features visits to cultural heritage sites inscribed on the World Heritage List.
   The program brings together international and local volunteers, in cooperation with King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa Development Authority, Al-Ahsa Municipality, the National Center for Palms and Dates, Al-Ahsa Chamber, the Saudi Red Crescent Authority and security agencies.
   -- SPA