Riyadh, September 23, 2023, UNESCO has completed the inclusion of 47 new sites on its World Heritage List, notably the Uruq Bani Ma'arid Reserve in Saudi Arabia. During the 45th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Riyadh from September 10 to 25, member states submitted 50 nominations, which resulted in one site being postponed, another rejected, and the extension of five existing World Heritage sites. Alongside the Saudi reserve, the new additions feature Palestine's Ancient Jericho and Tunisia's Djerba Island. Mohlago Flora Mokgohloa of South Africa, who presided over the session, expressed gratitude for the participating delegations and commended Saudi Arabia for its warm hospitality. Mokgohloa noted the Kingdom's efforts to expand biodiversity and environmental preservation as significant steps forward.
