Dear World, Meet the New Saudi Arabia.
Disclaimer: I am Saudi, I have lived in the Kingdom my whole life and the views outlined in this piece are my own and not sponsored in any way, shape, or form.
Saudi Arabia, a country with a population of 30 million is a pearl in the Middle East. A country that I have proudly called my own is changing, and fast.
To anyone who has never stepped in the Kingdom, or has for a short period of time cannot always fully grasp what “change” really means. The only gauge they have for “change” are the headlines printed and seen by the media such as,
“Saudi Arabia ends 35-year ban on movie theaters”- CNN Business
“Saudi Society Is Changing. Just Take a Look at These Coffeehouses.” New York Times
“Saudi Arabia changing fast” Brazil Arab News Agency
While all of these pieces capture the idea of change, none of them offer you a view on the Kingdom as a whole, from the perspective of the driving force of all of these changes; the youth.
As a 19-year-old living in the Kingdom, I belong to the majority of the whole Saudi population that is under the age of 30. Simply walking the streets or a mall, you’ll find a young adult population that is perhaps the most vibrant, dynamic, and ambitious demographic anywhere in the world.
Our vibrancy, dynamic, and ambitious nature didn't happen overnight, nor did any of the changes we see today. But instead, it took years of persistence and mutual understanding amongst all Saudis, that our future is ours to seize.
Under the strong leadership and vision of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, we have had the chance to shape our society into what we want it to be.
The moment your plane lands in the Kingdom, you’ll be struck by our incredibly welcoming experience. From the gate agent, all the way to the random person sitting at the table next to you at a restaurant.
Once you have the chance to have a conversation with a Saudi, you’ll notice one thing:
We are proud of who we are, but not ignorant that a world outside ours exists.
We can easily have an hour-long conversation about our history, and what day to day life is like in the region. More than that, you’ll get asked to talk about where you come from, your family, and what brings you to the Kingdom.
The core of our belief as a people is that we are all equal. That we develop as a society, as human beings not by exclusion of people different than us, but by inclusion. It is that core belief that drives our passion to learn more about others and their own lives.
Saudi Arabia is inclusive, in the top 10 to be exact. In the rankings for countries with the highest number of foreigners, Saudi Arabia ranks 7th with an expat population of 11 million. The true value with this isn’t the number, it's the stories.
Each of those 11 million people come from completely different backgrounds, have completely different strengths, passions, and interests. Despite all of the differences, we are all bonded together by one thing; our love for the Kingdom.
To me, this is an asset to the Kingdom that often gets overlooked. This Western perception that the Kingdom lives behind a wall of rejection, is completely false. Saudis on a daily basis live in harmony and peace with expatriates and people unlike us.
The point I am trying to make is that the Kindom is loving and welcoming, contrary to what is believed globally. Beyond the people, there is plenty to do here. The General Entertainment Authority a government department created on May 7th, 2016 by a Royal Decree has been hard at work organizing international headling artists and events, here are just a few:
- The Backstreet Boys performed in Jeddah in June of 2019 as apart of their DNA tour;
- the Korean boy band BTS performed in Riyadh in October of 2019;
- 5-time Grammy award-winning artist Mariah Carey performed in Riyadh in February of 2019;
- and finally upcoming this March, Lionel Richie will be headlining in Alula.
If that isnt enough, the biggest music festival in the Middle East, MDL Beast was held this year in Riyadh, the capital. Arab News called the event “a massive hit with fans of electronic dance music in Saudi Arabia.”
These are just a few of the events and activities that have been and will be held within the Kingdom. With all of these events, the Saudi government has also made it incredibly seamless to obtain a visa into the Kingdom.
What used to be a long and complex process now takes less than 5 minutes online for passport holders of more than 45 countries.
In conclusion, the Kingdom is not what you are told it is. In no way am I saying the Kingdom is a perfect country, we have room for improvement just like every other nation. What I am saying though is that the Kingdom today, is a new Kingdom.
It is new not by ignoring where we have come from and our traditions, but it is new with how we use and learn from our traditions and past to create a brighter future.
