Deep in concentration, a group of women gather to meticulously stitch handmade fabrics, each thread dyed with colours extracted from locally-sourced organic materials. It’s a timeless tableau, one that could easily have unfolded over centuries past, marked by the use of ancient materials, tools, and techniques. Yet, this is no scene from the annals of history but a traditional craft workshop flourishing in the contemporary setting of AlUla, where the old ways seamlessly merge with the modern.

The women are sitting in Madrasat Addeera, AlUla’s first secondary girls’ school. Madrasat Adeera stands as a living testament to AlUla's commitment to preserving traditional crafts, offering a tangible link to the region's past and the enduring legacy of its people. It exemplifies how heritage is far from static, evolving dynamically and interwoven within the very fabric of AlUla's identity.

Resident and visiting teachers lead local women and men in workshops across a variety of arts and crafts. Their nimble fingers work expertly with materials such as wool, cotton, limestone, wood, precious metals, gemstones, and palm fronds to fashion unique products from art, homewares, jewellery, fashion accessories and more. Pigments sourced from local rocks and plants lend subtle hues—the signature palette of AlUla—to these handicrafts.

These items will eventually make their way into the local boutiques and heritage retail stores as well as the Madrasat Addeera shop in AlUla Old Town and be snapped up by eager visitors looking for unique souvenirs and a story to tell.

At Madrasat Addeera, history is revered as a precious legacy worthy of preservation. Now transformed into an ambitious arts and design centre where locals and visitors are welcome, traditions from the past are proudly kept alive, but not at the expense of modern ideas. Here is where tech meets technique.