Mint Tea for Peace in AlUla

When the Desert Becomes a Living Laboratory for Cultural Dialogue and Peace

AlUla | A Place Full of History and Emotion

The sun sets behind the red cliffs of AlUla, casting long shadows across the ancient carvings left by the Thamûd people. The hot desert air carries the scent of sand, date palms, and resins, and the winds seem to whisper the stories of caravans of yesteryear. At the heart of this majestic landscape, Villa Hegra opens onto a world where heritage, art, and innovation converge.

This is where Maison NANA1807 plans to offer a unique immersive experience: the “Mint Tea for Peace” ceremonies , accompanied by intercultural Mintealogy workshops . These experiences are not simple tastings: they transform the tea ritual into a tool for intercultural dialogue , inviting artists, diplomats and visitors to explore the culture and memory of the desert through the senses and emotions.

Mint Tea | A Universal Language

“Every cup of tea we prepare here tells a story,” explains Zakaria Nana , co-founder of Maison NANA1807 and an international expert in intercultural management with over 20 years of experience , collaborating with FORMATEX (Business France) and the Arab World Institute . “Tea is not only a symbol of conviviality; it becomes a catalyst for dialogue and a tool for understanding others. We would like to invite Villa Hegra to discover this immersive experience and share it with its artists and visitors.”

The workshops are designed to awaken the senses and stimulate reflection. Participants learn how to brew tea properly, observe the gestures of others, and share their sensations. But they also explore the history, practices, and rituals associated with tea in the Arab world and beyond, transforming each moment into a living laboratory for intercultural dialogue .

Sensory Immersion

In a room with ochre walls, slightly dug into the rock, participants sit around small round tables. The furniture is minimalist: polished copper trays, hand-blown glasses, light filtering through the openings onto the desert. The scent of Medina mint, mixed with organic green tea, fills the room , immediately awakening the senses and inviting everyone to focus on the moment. The silence is punctuated only by the bubbling of water and the delicate rustling of leaves.

Marie, a French diplomat, confides: "I never imagined that a cup of tea could transport me across centuries and cultures. Every gesture of Zakaria made me feel the depth of human dialogue and the power of sharing."

Participants sometimes close their eyes to better perceive the aromas, the taste of the tea and the warmth of the glass in their hands. Then they share their impressions, discovering the richness of their perceptions and the diversity of emotions evoked by a simple ritual. The exchanges quickly become deep and authentic , revealing the power of an ancestral gesture to create lasting intercultural bonds.

AFALULA | Catalyst for Franco-Saudi Cultural Dialogue

Villa Hegra and the initiatives of Maison NANA1807 are part of the partnership with AFALULA (French Agency for the Development of AlUla) , which has been working for several years to strengthen cultural and artistic cooperation between France and Saudi Arabia. AFALULA facilitates exchanges, coordinates projects with local and international institutions, and provides strategic support for innovative initiatives such as the “Mint Tea for Peace” ceremonies and the intercultural Mintealogy workshops . Thanks to this partnership, the AlUla desert becomes a true living laboratory where heritage, creation and intercultural dialogue meet to imagine unique, sensitive and deeply human experiences.

Dialogue and Intercultural Prospective

Each workshop concludes with a reflection on contemporary issues: how can ancient rituals inspire modern practices of cooperation, intercultural leadership, and social innovation? How can a sensory experience be transformed into a lever for dialogue and peace? Participants take notes, exchange ideas for future projects, and prepare fertile ground for cultural collaboration.

Zakaria Nana explains: "We are planning this immersive experience for Villa Hegra and invite its team to actively participate. Together, we can create a model for an experimental cultural center where art, memory, and intercultural strategy come together to imagine a more inclusive and peaceful future."

An Experience of Sharing and Emotion

Throughout the day, participants form unexpected connections. A Saudi artist and a European entrepreneur marvel at the emerald color of the mint in their glasses. A local teacher takes notes on the preparation technique, wondering how to incorporate this ritual into her classes to raise students' awareness of world cultures. These moments are microcosms of intercultural dialogue , where tradition becomes a catalyst for social and cultural innovation.

Later, Zakaria leads an exercise in which everyone closes their eyes and focuses on the aroma, warmth, and taste of the tea. Then he invites participants to share their impressions. Simply verbalizing these sensations creates an immediate and profound connection . “I felt connected to people I barely knew,” one participant says. “Tea became a shared language.”

The Desert as a Catalyst for Peace

As dusk enveloped AlUla, participants stood in the courtyards of Villa Hegra, gazing up at the starry sky. Each cup of tea, each gesture, and each scent contributed to forging invisible but powerful connections between cultures. The tea ritual became a universal language , capable of connecting people from very different backgrounds around a moment of reflection and sharing.

Maison NANA1807 and Villa Hegra thus pose a forward-looking vision : to show how age-old traditions can become levers of social and cultural innovation, while respecting the memory and history of the place. The intercultural Mintealogy workshops and the “Mint Tea for Peace” ceremonies become an experimental model of intercultural dialogue , where art, culture and strategy come together.

Invitation to Co-Create the Experience

Maison NANA1807 is calling on Villa Hegra and its partners to join this immersive experience, participate in Mintealogy 's intercultural workshops, and explore together the possibilities of dialogue, education, and social innovation . Mint Tea thus becomes more than a drink: a living symbol of peace, hospitality, and understanding between cultures , a bridge that the AlUla desert invites us to cross.

"We want to share this experience with Villa Hegra and its artists, so that the desert becomes a living laboratory for dialogue and peace. Each infusion, each gesture is an invitation to understand and collaborate," concludes Zakaria Nana.