| By Arab News

Diriyah Global Seminar Highlights the Enduring Role of Oases

The Diriyah Global Seminar 2025 unfolded against the backdrop of ancient mud-brick palaces, gathering scholars, policymakers, and cultural leaders under the theme “Sustaining Civilizations: Oases and the Continuity of Heritage.”Held from Dec. 11–12, the forum explored how oases particularly those along Wadi Hanifah, have sustained human settlement, trade, and cultural exchange for centuries, while offering practical lessons for contemporary sustainability.

Organized by the Diriyah Gate Development Authority, the seminar framed oases not merely as historical remnants, but as living systems capable of informing modern approaches to environmental stewardship, urban planning, and heritage preservation.

Wadi Hanifah as a Foundation of Civilization

At the heart of the discussion was Wadi Hanifah, a 120-kilometer ecological corridor that has shaped Diriyah and Riyadh’s development for millennia. Historically, the wadi supported agriculture, trade routes, and early settlements, including those of the Banu Hanifah tribe, long before the rise of the First Saudi State.

By the 18th century, Wadi Hanifah had become the backbone of Diriyah’s political and economic life, sustaining palm groves, irrigation networks, and a growing population. Its falaj systems exemplified early engineering ingenuity, enabling efficient water distribution in an arid landscape.

Heritage, Ecology, and Intangible Culture

Beyond its physical geography, the seminar emphasized the layered heritage of oases as cultural ecosystems. Wadi Hanifah was presented as a space where biodiversity, built heritage, and oral traditions intersected—supporting wildlife, agricultural practices, poetry, folklore, and social cohesion that linked generations.

Speakers highlighted how these elements collectively shaped identity, reinforcing the idea that sustainability must integrate environmental health with cultural continuity rather than treating them as separate domains.

From Environmental Decline to Ecological Recovery

Rapid urbanization in the late 20th century severely degraded Wadi Hanifah, turning parts of the valley into dumping grounds and threatening its ecological balance. This decline reflected broader regional challenges linked to unchecked development, water scarcity, and soil degradation.

The turning point came with the launch of the Wadi Hanifah Comprehensive Development Program in 2001. The initiative restored large sections of the valley through wetland rehabilitation, flood management systems, and native vegetation planting. Its success later earned international recognition, including the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, positioning Wadi Hanifah as a model of ecological urban renewal.

Oases as Drivers of Sustainable Development

A key panel titled “Thriving Natures: Thriving Opportunities” examined how wadis and oases can support food security, water resilience, and economic diversification. Discussions emphasized how traditional knowledge, when paired with modern technology—can enhance climate adaptation strategies in arid regions.

Pilot initiatives in Diriyah now integrate smart sensors, agroforestry, and biodiversity monitoring, demonstrating how heritage landscapes can support innovation without eroding cultural authenticity.

Aligning Oasis Preservation with Vision 2030

The seminar’s insights are closely aligned with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 agenda, which places sustainability, green finance, and environmental restoration at the center of national development. Investments in renewable energy, water management, afforestation, and green infrastructure were presented as part of a broader strategy that draws inspiration from historical land-use systems like those of Wadi Hanifah.

Diriyah’s City of Earth masterplan exemplifies this approach, blending adobe-inspired architecture, passive cooling, native landscaping, and human-centered urban design to create a living model of heritage-led sustainability.

Balancing Ambition with Environmental Realities

Despite notable progress, speakers acknowledged ongoing challenges, including water scarcity, climate volatility, and the environmental costs of rapid expansion. Critics caution that sustainability initiatives must remain adaptive and inclusive, ensuring that ecological restoration does not exacerbate resource pressures or social inequalities.

In response, project leaders emphasized adaptive management, community engagement, and technological innovation as safeguards against these risks.

Diriyah’s Global Message on Heritage and Sustainability

As the seminar concluded, Diriyah emerged as a symbol of how ancient landscapes can inform future resilience. By revitalizing oases and wadis, Saudi Arabia positions itself as a bridge between inherited wisdom and contemporary sustainability solutions, contributing to global dialogues on climate adaptation and cultural preservation.

In Wadi Hanifah’s restored palm groves, the message was clear: sustaining civilizations requires honoring the past while designing responsibly for the future.

Original Article:

Arab News Japan. (2025). Harmonizing heritage, innovation in Diriyah’s oases. Arabnews.jp. https://www.arabnews.jp/en/uncategorized/article_161112/