RCU stands shoulder to shoulder with the people of AlUla

Growth is an opportunity and a challenge. Across the Kingdom, a raft of projects is creating dynamic new sectors and communities. This presents a huge opportunity for our nation. For the thousands of us who are making those projects happen, one challenge is to ensure that as we grow, we do so together with our communities. We simply cannot allow the pace and scale of change to cause us to grow apart from the people.

In AlUla county, where I serve as chief of communications for the Royal Commission for AlUla, we are diligent in engaging the community as a participant in its transformation. AlUla has established itself as a leading destination for cultural and natural heritage, and now its urban core is being rebuilt with the Path to Prosperity masterplan. This is a huge transition for residents. Every day they see changes happening as their town becomes a city.

So how do we keep a tight connection with the community?

Let me provide an example of how RCU does it. The Railway Street Urban Development Project is regenerating the Al-Manshiyah neighborhood as a gateway connecting AlUla’s tram line with the Cultural Oasis and pathways for pedestrians and cyclists. The project will renovate shops, facades, roads and the public realm with a heritage appearance and modern amenities.

Our communications strategy reached out to the community by going door-to-door to talk with affected owners and tenants. Members of our community relations team explained that the project will increase living standards and property values; that RCU will strive to conduct the work in stages so as to minimize disruption; that we understood architectural requirements would require some adjustments; and lastly that we would work together to find solutions to any problems.

There are many other examples where our communications approach built bridges with the community during times of transition. When updating the water-supply system to meet new national standards, we let people know that this period of change would pay off in better water quality and sustainability. In launching the I Care campaign to protect cultural heritage assets, we invited residents to join RCU staff in cleaning up litter at heritage sites such as the monumental tombs of Hegra. When we re-opened the Sheikh Saeed Al-Abdaldaim Mosque​ last year after renovations, we invited people from all walks of life to the inauguration ceremony to convey our message of inclusivity.

Every bit counts. And every time we incorporate the community into our plans, we grow closer to the people. But it is essential that this not be mere consultation where we tell people of our plans but do not involve them. It needs to go a step further and be engagement, where we show sympathy for residents’ concerns and willingness to change course as needed based on feedback from the community.

For a system of engagement with community members to thrive it must be driven by their needs as much as our plans.

Currently RCU’s social and economic development team is working on a system to formalize the way we respond to community requests, to ensure that everyone is treated fairly and evenly. Such a system could involve steps such as citizen interviews, case study preparation, assessment of whether this is a humanitarian or non-humanitarian need, and extra consideration for those who are most in need such as widows, the elderly, the ill and the poor.

Through measures such as these we are creating a template for community engagement that we can continually improve. It also helps — indeed is essential — that as well as communicating with residents on a project basis, RCU operates several long-term programs that are improving quality of life. These range from the AlUla Languages Institute to the RCU scholarships program and the Hammayah training initiative. Our Vibes AlUla program is nurturing SMEs, our Madrasat AdDeera arts and crafts academy is tapping AlUla’s deep reservoir of creativity, and our county’s jobless rate is half what it used to be. Young people can now pursue new career paths such as rangers and rawis (storytellers); they no longer need to leave AlUla to find opportunities. Daily life is richer; people have more choice in schools and restaurants.

There is also a crucial underlying message to our community-centric communications approach. It is this: You the people are the true owners of AlUla. We need you involved because we want you to take ownership more and more with each year we move ahead. When we reach out to you, we are passing the baton so that you may carry it forward.

• Abdulrahman AlTrairi is the official spokesperson and chief of communications and PR at the Royal Commission for AlUla.