Rock Art in the Hail Region of Saudi Arabia

• Impacts of tourism / visitor / recreation
• Interpretative and visitation facilities: Lack of visitor infrastructures and of a tourism management strategy (issue resolved)
• Localised utilities: Failure of some of the masking work due to neglect and intentional damage
• Management systems/ management plan
• Need to extend the buffer zone of the Jabal Umm Sinman component (issue resolved)
• Visual impact of the rain water diversionary dam near Jubbah and of the water tower on the eastern side of Jabal Umm Sinman
• Water infrastructure
• Awareness programme for local residents needed

On 27 November 2020, the State Party submitted a state of conservation report, a summary of which is available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1472/documents/. It presents progress in addressing a number of conservation issues identified by the Committee at its previous sessions, as follows:

• The State Party, after establishing the status of ownership and claims, has increased the area of the buffer zone;
• The masking works, completed in 2015 and compromised in 2017, have been re-planned, with two artesian water wells outside the buffer zone to supply water to the project. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the stone masking of concrete walls and replanting has been deferred until the 2021 planting season;
• Updated information has been provided on visitor infrastructure, including road signage and local signage that will increase local recognition of the property, rest areas and accommodation for visitors, visitor paths, viewing stairways and platforms, and shade structures, all designed for reversibility when required. The visitor centre at Jubbah has been refurbished to display archaeological materials and site orientation information;
• Updated information has been provided on Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) requirements for development in relation to the World Heritage property, its buffer zones and wider setting. Site monitoring and security has been enhanced by the installation of a CCTV monitoring system linked to a control center in the visitor center. A drone monitoring system is also being developed;
• The State Party indicates changes to the administrative system for the property, with the creation of a new Ministry of Culture and a Heritage Commission, now separated from the Ministry of Tourism. The Heritage Commission is one of eleven sub-commissions covering all aspects of cultural heritage.

The State Party has acted on the request of the Committee (41 COM 7B.85) to provide clarification on the formalization of an extended buffer zone for one component of the property – Jabal Umm Sinman. The State Party, after establishing the status of ownership and claims, has increased the area of the buffer zone, but by less than the 1.0-1.5 km extension previously recommended by the Committee, to ensure that there is no visual impact on the integrity of the property. Nevertheless, it is recommended that the State Party considers the recommended extension of the Buffer Zone and informs the Committee of any impediments to that extension, and in the meantime ensures that any planned project or facility in the setting will not have a visual impact on the integrity of the property.

The State Party has addressed the failure of the recent masking works by utilizing two artesian water wells outside the buffer zone to supply water to the project. The stone work and replanting required to mask concrete walls will be undertaken in the 2021 planting season.

A range of visitor and security and monitoring infrastructure has been installed that appears to address concerns previously raised by the Committee.

The provision of a timeframe for the implementation of a variety of actions is a useful and welcomed submission, as is the iteration of HIA requirements.

It is noted that a new Ministry for Culture, with eleven sub-commissions (of which the Heritage Commission is one) and a separate Tourism Ministry have been established. It is important that the continued coordination between the new entities is ensured to achieve effective protection of the property.