Saudi Arabia’s Heritage Heads to the Moon in Humanity’s Eternal Time Capsule
Riyadh – Saudi Arabia’s ancient legacy and Vision 2030 innovations will soon be immortalized on the lunar surface as part of a global project preserving human civilization for future generations.
Saudi Arabia’s rich cultural and scientific legacy is set to transcend Earth’s boundaries, with elements of its ancient and modern heritage included in Sanctuary on the Moon, a historic time capsule project supported by NASA and UNESCO.
The initiative aims to safeguard humanity’s collective knowledge, art, and science by storing them on the moon — a symbolic act of unity and endurance that celebrates the achievements of civilization.
French engineer Benoit Faiveley, the visionary leading the project, is visiting Saudi Arabia to collaborate with prominent cultural and scientific institutions in Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam.
His mission: to select and curate the facets of Saudi heritage that best reflect the Kingdom’s timeless traditions and its remarkable transformation under Vision 2030.
“With the extraordinary cultural dynamism taking place under Saudi Vision 2030, now is the perfect time to collaborate with Saudi museums and art institutions,” said Faiveley. “Saudi Arabia’s voice will represent not only its people but also the broader Arab civilization — past, present, and future.”
The Sanctuary on the Moon project brings together a distinguished team of international experts, including astrophysicists, paleontologists, historians, engineers, and artists.
Their shared goal is to design and deliver a “cosmic message” — a permanent record of human civilization preserved beyond the reach of time.
The time capsule will consist of 24 sapphire discs engraved with images, data, and diagrams that encapsulate humanity’s scientific and cultural achievements. From art and music to mathematics and literature, each disc will tell part of humanity’s story.
Among them, Saudi Arabia’s contribution will shine as the cultural beacon of the Arab world, symbolizing a bridge between ancient wisdom and futuristic innovation.
Saudi heritage sites such as the rock art of Hima, the ancient city of Diriyah, and the AlUla archaeological wonders are among those being considered for inclusion.
These landmarks, along with Saudi Arabia’s growing number of UNESCO World Heritage sites — now numbering eight — reflect the Kingdom’s deep historical roots and commitment to preservation.
Faiveley described the lunar archive as “a cosmic hello to our descendants, or perhaps to other intelligent life forms.” The time capsule’s design ensures longevity, with sapphire chosen for its durability and resistance to cosmic radiation.
Each disc will store vast amounts of information in image and data form, ensuring that even millennia from now, future generations — or perhaps future civilizations — can uncover humanity’s story.
Scheduled to travel aboard NASA’s CT-4 mission, the time capsule will land on the moon’s southern polar region — an area seen as ideal for future inhabited lunar bases. This region, rich in scientific potential and water-ice reserves, symbolizes hope for humanity’s next frontier of exploration.
By incorporating Saudi culture into the lunar archive, the Sanctuary project acknowledges the Kingdom’s vital role in shaping global civilization and innovation.
It also highlights Saudi Arabia’s ongoing transformation under Vision 2030 — a national plan that balances progress with preservation, tradition with technology, and heritage with innovation.
“The initiative ensures that Saudi Arabia’s cultural legacy — from its prehistoric art to its modern vision — will remain accessible for millennia,” the project’s statement noted. “It’s not just a record of human knowledge; it’s a celebration of diversity, creativity, and shared destiny.”
For Saudi Arabia, this participation marks another milestone in its journey toward global cultural leadership. From hosting world-class museums and restoring historic sites to empowering its creative industries, the Kingdom continues to position itself as a hub of heritage, innovation, and inspiration.
As humanity looks beyond Earth, Saudi Arabia’s inclusion in the Sanctuary on the Moon ensures that when the story of humankind is told among the stars, the Kingdom’s voice — echoing its ancient past and visionary future — will forever resonate across time and space.
