AlUla's Rawis head to Paris
Also this week: Lebanese fine dining, immersive exhibitions and Arab cinema
Welcome to AL-MONITOR Riyadh.
This week, Riyadh's Prince Faisal bin Fahd Arts Hall opens its annual summer exhibition, bringing together 45 works by 31 Saudi and Saudi-based artists exploring how contemporary art can generate new ways of seeing and understanding the world. Elsewhere, we highlight a photography show at UNESCO headquarters in Paris featuring images of Rawis, the traditional storytellers of Saudi Arabia. For those craving Lebanese cuisine, Niyyal is a vibrant eatery in Jeddah overlooking the Red Sea. While you’re there, you can also head to Hayy Cinema to enjoy a selection of short Arabic films this summer.
If you want to receive this newsletter or our other new City Pulse editions — including Dubai, Istanbul and Doha — sign up here.
Happy reading,
Rebecca
P.S. Have feedback or tips on Riyadh's culture scene? Send them my way at contactus@al-monitor.com.
1. Leading the week: ‘I Am a Rawi’
A Rawi with a visitor in AlUla’s old town, photo displayed at UNESCO’s headquarters in Paris, France. (Photo by Nick Jackson).
AlUla’s traditional storytellers are taking center stage in Paris. A new public photography exhibition installed on the gates of UNESCO headquarters celebrates the Rawis — certified local heritage interpreters who bring the region’s history to life through oral storytelling. Titled “I am a Rawi: Sharing Stories from AlUla,” the exhibition features portraits by British documentary and travel photographer Nick Jackson, highlighting the people preserving and sharing AlUla’s rich cultural heritage.
A Rawi is a traditional Arab storyteller. In the classical Arabic literary tradition, Rawis were trusted reciters and preservers of oral tradition who acted as living libraries, safeguarding poetry and tribal history long before these stories were written down. They were also entrusted with transmitting the works of poets from one generation to the next.
Today, in Saudi Arabia, the Rawi has evolved into a certified local heritage interpreter. Predominantly guiding visitors through the ancient landscapes of AlUla, Rawis bring historic sites such as Hegra and AlUla old town to life by sharing regional history, local legends and personal stories that deepen visitors’ understanding of the area.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), in partnership with the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), is leading a strategic initiative to empower local storytellers to preserve and share AlUla’s cultural legacy, oral traditions, myths and ancient inscriptions.
The exhibition also marks the launch of the Rawi-led “Qissa bi Qissa” (“Swap a Story”), an immersive experience inspired by UNESCO’s Live Museum model, which transforms traditional heritage sites into spaces for dialogue and human connection.
During the two-hour experience, Rawis use artifacts and storytelling to spark conversations around themes including migration, belief systems and shared cultural experiences. First piloted in AlUla in February, “Qissa bi Qissa” has already welcomed 115 participants from 10 countries. AlUla's Rawis are the first certified practitioners of UNESCO’s Live Museum model in Saudi Arabia.
“Our own research indicates that 79% of leisure travellers want immersive cultural experiences,” said Phillip Jones, chief tourism officer at the RCU, in the exhibition’s press release. “At its heart, the ‘Qissa bi Qissa’ experience leverages dialogue and storytelling to encourage visitors to engage with heritage in ways that deepen understanding and genuine connection with peoples and places. In an era increasingly shaped by AI-generated experiences, the Live Museum model offers a compelling alternative.”
Date: Until Aug. 31
Location: UNESCO, 7 Place de Fontenoy, Paris
Find more information here.
2. Word on the street: Niyyali
Delicious mezze spreads at Niyyali in Jeddah. (Photo courtesy of Niyyali)
Craving Lebanese cuisine? While the kingdom is home to numerous Levantine restaurants, few stand out for both exceptional food and vibrant atmosphere. One such destination is Niyyali, named after the popular Arabic expression meaning “lucky me.” Located within Jeddah’s luxurious Shangri-La Hotel, the restaurant elevates Lebanese fine dining with refined cuisine and a lively setting.
Overlooking the Red Sea and the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, the hotel offers breathtaking waterfront views, providing a stunning backdrop for the dining experience. The vibe is always upbeat and energetic, with regular DJ sets creating the perfect soundtrack for a memorable evening.
The food is top notch, with a range of Lebanese classics to try alongside more innovative concoctions such as the truffle hummus, the juicy chargrilled kebabs or the tender smoked lamb chops, making Niyyali a standout destination for both traditional flavors and contemporary cuisine.
Location: Shangri-La Jeddah, Ash Shati, Jeddah
Find more information here.
3. Riyadh diary
A view of ‘Ways of Knowing: Art as Interdisciplinary Research’ at the Misk Art Institute in Riyadh. (Photo courtesy of the Misk Art Institute)
- ‘Ways of Knowing: Art as Interdisciplinary Research’
This exhibition brings together more than 45 works by 31 Saudi and Saudi-based artists to explore how artistic practice can generate insight, test ideas and foster new ways of understanding beyond the boundaries of a single discipline. Positioning artmaking as a form of research, the exhibition showcases projects spanning painting, sculpture, photography, digital media and immersive installations that draw on fields including science, history and sociology, asking what art can teach us that conventional research methods cannot.
Date: Until Aug. 1
Location: Misk Art Institute
Find more information here.
- ‘Arabic Language: Twenty-Eight Letters of Light’
This exhibition, held at the King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language in Riyadh, traces the story of one of humanity’s oldest languages. On display are ancient artifacts, including authentic rock specimens engraved with early Arabic inscriptions, alongside interactive digital platforms that allow visitors to explore the linguistic roots of specific Arabic words. Transforming the traditional study of the Arabic language — long confined to books and lecture halls — into an immersive, multisensory experience, the exhibition presents Arabic as a living, evolving language.
Date: Until Dec. 31
Location: King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language
Find more information here.
- ‘In Short: Film Program: Summer Edition 2026’
This summer, Hayy Cinema in Jeddah is screening a selection of short films from across the Arab world, ranging from intimate dramas and documentaries to dark comedies, imaginative animation and award-winning productions. Together, the films celebrate the power of storytelling in its most concise and inventive form.
Date: until Aug. 6
Location: Hayy Cinema, Jeddah
Find more information here.
4. Book of the week: ‘Last Train from Damascus’
As the Hejaz Railway recently experienced renewed interest following agreements between Saudi Arabia and Turkey to restore and extend the historic line — creating a continuous rail corridor from Istanbul to the Gulf — an upcoming book explores the railway’s enduring legacy.
Scheduled for publication in early 2027, “Last Train from Damascus” by adventurer Leon McCarron, retraces the route of the once-renowned early 20th century railway through the stories of the people who continue to live along its path. In the aftermath of the fall of the Assad regime, McCarron spent weeks traveling across Syria before following the historic railway through Jordan and trekking across the Saudi desert alongside its remaining tracks. Through this journey, he reflects on both the railway's legacy and the profound transformation taking place across Saudi Arabia today.
5. (Beyond) View from Riyadh
A guided tour by a Saudi Rawi at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris for the exhibition “I am a Rawi.” (Photo courtesy of the Royal Commission for AlUla)
The exhibition’s opening week was accompanied by a Rawi in Residence program at UNESCO headquarters, where Rawis Adel and Amal led nine guided tours of the exhibition, welcoming nearly 100 participants representing at least 14 nationalities.
6. By the numbers
- 75% of the Royal Commission for AlUla’s Rawis come from the three oases of AlUla, Khaybar and Tayma.
- Women make up 56% of all Rawis.
