From 14 to 16 June 2026, the Centre of Excellence in Green Heritage Science (GreenHer) hosted a high-level delegation from the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in Ljubljana. The visit builds on a previous GreenHer mission to AlUla in December 2025 and marks an important step forward in developing a long-term strategic partnership in heritage science.
The RCU delegation, represented by Dr. Rebecca Foote, Director of Archaeology, and Giulia Edimond, Collection Care & Conservation Manager, engaged in an intensive programme of scientific exchange, site visits, and strategic discussions with GreenHer researchers and partner institutions.
The visit centred on advancing joint research priorities and deepening mutual understanding of key challenges in heritage conservation and analysis. The delegation was introduced to GreenHer’s state-of-the-art facilities, including the GreenHer Unit UL FCCT (Heritage Science Laboratory Ljubljana), where cutting-edge research in hyperspectral imaging, DESI-ToF applications, residual analysis, and heritage smell studies was presented.
In addition, the delegation visited GreenHer partner institutions, including the GreenHer Unit at the Department of Archaeology of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Ljubljana and the GreenHer Unit at the Slovenian National Building and Civil Engineering Institute (ZAG).
These visits highlighted Slovenia’s strong interdisciplinary ecosystem in heritage science, spanning archaeology, conservation science, and materials engineering.
A particularly valuable experience was the visit to the Ljubljana Marshes, where the team was generously hosted by colleagues from the Department of Archaeology within the UNESCO-listed Prehistoric Pile-Dwellings site. This visit provided important insights into the archaeological layers and cultural narratives of the site, which will be further developed and presented within the GreenHer Living Lab. At ZAG, the delegation explored world-class facilities dedicated to materials research and construction, showcasing advanced approaches to assessing and preserving the built heritage environment.
Discussions throughout the visit revealed strong alignment between RCU and GreenHer research priorities, particularly in areas such as imaging and analysis of archaeological objects, conservation methodologies and strategies, and heritage interpretation for public engagement. These shared interests provide a solid foundation for impactful joint research projects addressing heritage challenges across diverse climatic, cultural, and material contexts.
The visit resulted in a strong mutual commitment to building a structured and long-term collaboration. This growing partnership highlights the importance of international cooperation in addressing global heritage challenges and reinforces GreenHer’s role as a leading hub for interdisciplinary and sustainable heritage science.
