WASHINGTON: All Saudis have a personal oil well in their back yard, women from the Kingdom are widely repressed and definitely cannot speak English, and all Americans play beach volleyball.
These are just some of the common stereotypes raised by panelists at an Arab News roundtable discussion held in Washington on Friday, in which women from Saudi Arabia and the US debated public views about their nations and how misperceptions can be addressed.
The discussion, held during the visit by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the US, heard about both perceptions of citizens of the two countries and about the societies as a whole.
Kerry Boyd Anderson, a US-based political risk consultant and writer, said that Saudi Arabia still struggled with an image problem in the US — although she said that the visit by the crown prince was important in addressing this.
“Saudi Arabia is still struggling with the post-9/11 perception problem in the United States … Even though those of us who actually follow the Middle East know there has been massive change,” she said.
“It’s going to take a lot of effort if you actually want to change American perceptions.”
Allegations about Saudi Arabia’s human rights record were also raised as impacting American public perceptions, Boyd Anderson said. But the move to allow women to drive from this summer provided an image boost, she added.
“A lot of Americans tend to think of Saudi women as very repressed. And I think that the move to allow women to drive … was very important for a lot of Westerners to see. Because it was always the thing a lot of people would talk about,” she said.
The roundtable discussion was the first event to be held in the recently inaugurated Saudi Research and Marketing Group office in Washington, which will be home to Arab News’ planned bureau in DC. The discussion, titled “Vision 2030 and the Role of Women in Saudi Reforms,” was moderated by Faisal J. Abbas, editor in chief of Arab News.
Somayya Jabarti, the editor in chief of Saudi Gazette, said that the move to allow women to drive was just the start of reforms for women in her country.
“This is the beginning. The decision (to allow) women to drive was for practical reasons mostly. It wasn’t to improve the image of Saudi Arabia or to justify ourselves,” she said.
“I think the next step, which is much more important, concerns the male guardianship system, which I believe is sort of being dismantled, bit by bit. Which I also think is a very intelligent approach, so it doesn’t provoke the challenging forces.”
Under the male guardianship system, Saudi women must receive permission for certain activities, such as traveling abroad.
But Jabarti said that the system had been misinterpreted by the international media, with claims that women cannot, for example, open a bank account or gain access to health care without permission.
“The Western media seems to get it wrong when it comes to what we can do and cannot do in relation to the male guardianship system,” she said.
Other members of the discussion group also pointed to the media’s role in covering Saudi society. Rania A. Razek, a Saudi-American photographer, said the global media has only intermittent interest in Saudi women’s affairs.
“It’s as if it’s a snooze on an alarm clock. Once something happens, a woman does something, it goes on the media for one day, and then it’s snoozed for another two years. And then something else happens, a woman does something else and it’s news, and then the world sees it once and then forgets it,” she said.
Jabarti said that, despite the easing restrictions on women in Saudi Arabia, hers is not the first generation to thrive.
“It isn’t (only) now that women are becoming doctors, academics and scientists. We’re not even part of the pioneering generation of women professionals in Saudi Arabia. We’re part of maybe the third or the fourth … Regardless of all the restrictions that have existed, women have achieved. So I think we need to give credit to the women who have come before us,” she said.
She said that there are other misconceptions and stereotypes about Saudis. “We still get the ‘oil well in your back yard’ (comments) … The stereotype that we’re all rich,” she said. “(Some) people are surprised that I’m Saudi and I speak English.”
Dr. Mody Al-Khalaf, Shoura council member and former diplomat at the Saudi Embassy in US, discussed the council’s involvement in an anti-harrassment law for women.
She also raised the recent CBS interview with the Saudi crown prince, in which he acknowledged that Saudi women “still have not received their full rights. There are rights stipulated in Islam that they still don’t have.”
Al-Khalaf said: “He was very honest about women not having all their rights within Shariah. That was the first time, for me, to hear an authoritative figure say, ‘Yes, women in Saudi Arabia still do not have all their God-given rights’.”
Lina Al-Maeena, Shoura council member and women’s sports enthusiast, explained how the Shoura is a consultative council for the king, giving recommendations and assessing and amending existing laws.
But she dismissed the “stereotype” that female members of the Shoura only involve themselves in issues connected to women’s affairs. “We should be the voices of everybody in the Kingdom,” she said.
But stereotypes work both ways, she added — such as the notion that all Americans enjoy beach volleyball.
“A lot of people don’t realize that a lot of American families are very conservative, they are very religious,” said Al-Maeena.
Conversely, not everyone in Saudi Arabia is as conservative as some might think, another member of the discussion group said.
The US-based Dr. Ellen Wald, energy consultant and author of the book “Saudi, Inc.,” pointed out that women already drive cars in Saudi residential compounds attached to the energy company Aramco.
“Most people I’ve spoken to have no idea that women at Aramco do drive in the Aramco area (and) don’t wear abayas,” Wald said. “There’s a lot of things that people don’t know.”
Faisal J. Abbas, editor in chief of Arab News, said that there was too much attention paid to what women wear regardless of whether they are from Saudi Arabia or San Francisco.
“In all societies there is an obsession with what women wear, be it too little or too much. Let’s stop judging women on what they wear, and let’s start judging them on what they do,” he said.
The roundtable discussion also put forward some recommendations for how to improve perceptions.
Wald said that she had found it difficult to get a visa to Saudi Arabia despite spending years researching a book on the country.
Easing such restrictions, as well as providing more efficient embassy services and information, would all help improve public perceptions, Wald added.
“I called the Saudi Embassy so many times to try to talk to them about a visa, and no one would up the phone,” she said. “There’s no information for Westerners about going … There are no guidebooks about Saudi Arabia.”
Ola Salem, head of communications at the Washington-based Arabia Foundation, said that access to Saudi Arabia for the media was also important.
“Journalists have access to Dubai and the UAE so much easier than Saudi Arabia. That’s why you don’t see (many) pictures of women from Saudi Arabia, because (the media) can’t get it,” she said.
Saudi, US women discuss stereotypes, common challenges at Arab News DC roundtable
Saudi, US women discuss stereotypes, common challenges at Arab News DC roundtable

Orchestra celebrates soundtracks of popular video games at Saudi Arabia’s Ithra

- Concert features symphonic arrangements, in-game HD visuals
DHAHRAN: It is “game on” at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture after it opened its doors to an event on Thursday.
The orchestral performance, which is being held nightly at the Ithra Theater — with two shows scheduled for Friday — celebrates the soundtracks of popular video games and attempts to breathe new life into them.
The concert features symphonic arrangements paired with in-game HD visuals and exclusive concept art from popular titles such as League of Legends, Overwatch, Assassin’s Creed, and The Witcher 3.

Sergey Smbatyan, founder of the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra and the artistic director and principal conductor since 2005, was on hand to lend context and commentary between the scores on opening night.
He told the crowd before the show: “If you’re not a gamer, what I want you to do is to imagine that you’re in a museum — an art museum — but instead of a curator telling you about the images that you’re going to see on this huge screen, let these musicians tell you that exact story.
“Tonight there is no right time to clap; there is no wrong time to clap. If you hear something you like from these guys (gesturing to the orchestra behind him on stage), let us know.
“We're going to start off tonight with role-play games, or what are known as RPGs, where players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. The game is focused on interactive storytelling, decision-making and strategy.”
Dhahran resident Paul Blay took his two daughters Sylvia, 11, and Celeste, 10, to the show.
Blay, who is a father of six, told Arab News: “I get emails about Ithra events and saw this one and I thought it would be fun for me and the girls to go to. Like with anyone that you love, I shared the things I love with them.”
The Blay family moved to the Kingdom last year and were keen to attend an event that merged gaming with music.
Celeste told Arab News: “I really like video game music; the music is really pretty and I like listening to that. It is kind of what motivated me to come here. And, also, my dad likes video games.”
The older Blay sisters have both taken music lessons and play multiple instruments, including the piano, the harp and the clarinet.
Their father said: “Some of the best music that’s being composed nowadays is for movies and video games. I expected it to be really high quality and good (at Ithra).”
The event featured music from Guild Wars 2, World of Warcraft, The Witcher 3 and Assassin’s Creed 2, among many others.
The last show takes place on April 5, with tickets starting at SR200 ($53), available at the venue or via the Ithra website.
Exhibition honoring Prince Khaled Al-Faisal inaugurated in Jeddah

- The exhibition chronicles Prince Khaled’s life and contributions as a statesman, individual and poet through visual installations
MAKKAH: Makkah Deputy Gov. Prince Saud bin Mishal bin Abdulaziz launched the “Love of Khaled Al-Faisal” exhibition as part of Jeddah Season festivities.
The ceremony was attended by Prince Turki bin Faisal, alongside several relatives of Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal.
The delegation toured the exhibition, housed at the Abadi Al-Johar area in Jeddah, which runs from April 3-8 and welcomes visitors daily from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.
The exhibition chronicles Prince Khaled’s life and contributions as a statesman, individual and poet through visual installations.
Saudi Arabia’s Hail poppy reserve attracts thousands of tourists

- Since opening in 2022, the reserve, which covers 10,000 sq. meters, has drawn thousands of domestic and foreign visitors
HAIL: With its vibrant array of wildflowers framed by golden sand dunes and majestic mountains, the Poppy Reserve in Al-Khattah is one of the Hail region’s most captivating attractions.
Since opening in 2022, the reserve, which covers 10,000 sq. meters, has drawn thousands of domestic and foreign visitors, particularly during holidays, Eid and the spring season.
The attraction enchants guests with its sweeping fields of poppies, perfectly balanced in form and color. As the sun sets, the golden rays cast a warm glow over the landscape and create a natural wonder.
This striking beauty enhances the region’s reputation for breathtaking scenery and offers a unique experience.
Saudi Arabia concludes participation in Bologna Book Fair

- The Saudi pavilion experienced significant engagement from publishers and international literary agencies, Al-Bassam added
BOLOGNA: Saudi Arabia concluded its participation in the Bologna International Book Fair 2025, held in Bologna, Italy, from March 31 to April 3.
The event introduced visitors to Saudi heritage through a comprehensive cultural experience.
Bassam Al-Bassam, general manager of publishing at the Saudi Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission, said the commission organized various initiatives to enhance the publishing and translation industry in the Kingdom and showcase the Saudi cultural landscape.
The Saudi pavilion experienced significant engagement from publishers and international literary agencies, Al-Bassam added.
By participating in international book fairs, the Kingdom aims to enhance its cultural presence on a global scale and create new opportunities to promote Saudi culture both regionally and internationally.
Attempt to smuggle qat foiled in Saudi Arabia’s Jazan

- Preliminary procedures have been completed, and the seized narcotics were handed to the competent authority
JAZAN: Saudi Border Guard land patrols in Farasan, Jazan, arrested three Yemenis for violating border security system regulations and attempting to smuggle 171 kg of qat.
Meanwhile, Border Guard land patrols in Al-Daer, Jazan, foiled an attempt to smuggle 45 kg of hashish. Preliminary procedures have been completed, and the seized narcotics were handed to the competent authority.