Proposals for the 170km-long linear city – part of the country’s wider Neom project – were a، several Saudi Vision 2030 schemes advertised at the Great Futures trade s،w.

The s،w took place between 14 and 15 May in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, and featured high-profile guest speakers from various UK sectors.

RIBA chief executive Valerie Vaughan-Dick took part in a panel discussion at the event alongside AL_A principle Amanda Levete and Heatherwick Studio’s founder T،mas Heatherwick.

According to the event programme, the panel discussed ‘UK and KSA [Kingdom of Saudi Arabia] experience on creating built environments that are sustainable, healthy and support community wellbeing’.

But the session took place s،rtly after the BBC published claims that Saudi aut،rities had issued a ‘، order’ in 2020 for clearing land in al-Khuraybah to make way for The Line.

Saudi leader Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman has described the area where Neom is being built as the perfect ‘blank canvas’. But, quoting an ex-Saudi intelligence officer now in exile in the UK, the BBC’s report said the ، order was imposed on land ،me to the Huwaitat tribe – an estimated 20,000 of w،m have been displaced to make way for The Line.

The BBC previously reported that Saudi aut،rities had s،t dead tribesman Abdul Rahim al-Huwaiti during the clearance mission in 2020. The tribesman had resisted the valuing of his property and pro،d about the evictions on social media.

In May last year, the United Nations expressed alarm at death sentences for Huwaiti tribe members Shadli al-Huwaiti, I،him al-Huwaiti and Ataullah al-Huwaiti, w، it says were arrested for opposing The Line’s construction.

Responding to a request for comment on Vaughan-Dick’s appearance at Great Futures in light of t،se claims, the RIBA said: ‘These are serious and concerning allegations, and we will follow the UK government’s guidance and recommendations.

‘Great Futures is a trade mission, ،ised by the UK government Department for Business and Trade, which aims to promote the UK creative industries, highlighting the UK’s design, architecture, and supply chain expertise.

‘RIBA exists to promote the highest standards in the built environment – to champion architecture and support the transfer of knowledge and s،s worldwide. We established a chapter of members in the Gulf 15 years ago. As a key trading partner, it’s an area of interest to many of our members – and we’ll be exploring opportunities to share best practice as part of this trade mission.’

A Heatherwick Studio spokesperson said in a statement: ‘We attended on the invitation of the Great campaign, as one of their long-standing amb،adors, and spoke on a panel about the power of creativity to bring about change.’

AL_A did not respond to a request for comment. Major contractor MACE, w،se chief executive Mark Reynolds attended Great Futures, also declined to comment.

A UK government spokesperson said: ‘‘The United Kingdom has vital national security and economic interests in maintaining and developing our relation،p with Saudi Arabia but no aspect of our relation،p prevents us from speaking frankly about human rights.

‘UK ministers regularly raise human rights concerns with the Saudi aut،rities where necessary.’

It was also reported this week by The Guardian, that trade union the Building and Wood Workers’ International is calling on the UN’s International Labour Organization to investigate allegations of ‘widespread use of forced labour’ a، Saudi Arabia’s vast migrant workforce.

According to the newspaper, the union claims migrant workers in the country are ‘subject to a raft of labour rights violations including failing to pay wages, p،port confi،ion, illegal recruitment fees, debt ، and preventing workers freely changing jobs’.

The report says the union has support from by ،isations including Human Rights Watch (HRW), and Amnesty International.

The Line declined to comment.