How Saudi Arabia turned back to the future

Children decked out in ‘all green’ for Saudi National Day celebrations on Jeddah’s Tahlia Street. (AN photo by Huda Bashatah)
Updated 24 September 2019
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How Saudi Arabia turned back to the future

  • When Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman pledged to bring back moderate Islam, he referenced a time before the developments of 1979 halted the Kingdom’s progress

Saudi Arabia was on a roll in the 1970s, enjoying the social and cultural developments that had begun in the previous two decades, and buoyed by the rising price of oil and the Kingdom’s first Development Plan.

But 1979 changed everything. Saudi Arabia took a conservative turn, prompted by two events: the Iranian Revolution in February, which brought Ayatollah Khomeini to power, and the siege by religious extremists of the Grand Mosque in Makkah. 


OPINION: Reconnecting with the past, reimagining the future (Faisal J. Abbas, Editor-in-Chief, Arab News)


As Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told 2017’s Future Investment Initiative: “We were not like this in the past. We only want to go back to what we were, the moderate Islam that is open to the world, open to all the religions … And quite frankly, we will not waste 30 years of our lives in dealing with extremist ideas … We want to live a normal life, a life that translates our moderate religion, our good customs.”

And that’s what has happened. Under Vision 2030 and a flurry of life-altering developments – movies and concerts, greater freedom for women, fitness in schools, to name just a few – the Kingdom is on a trajectory back to the future.


— THEN —


1955 - Saudi Arabia’s first private school for girls, Dar Al-Hanan, is founded in Jeddah by Princess Effat, with the support of her husband, Crown Prince Faisal bin Abdul Aziz, amid a social outcry. 


Read more: Saudi schooling goes back to the future


1960 - Royal decree approves public education for girls; schools are established in Riyadh, Makkah and other cities.

1962 - The non-profit women’s organization, Al-Nahda, is established by Princess Effat and a number of prominent Saudi women.

1963 

  • The Council of Ministers approves a project to establish television in the Kingdom.
  • The Department of Youth Welfare (previously the Department of Sport) creates four federations: volleyball, basketball, athletic and cycling.

1965 - King Faisal approves the first national television broadcast, a reading of the Qur’an, amid protests from conservatives.




King Faisal (right) and US President Richard Nixon.

  • The first TV broadcast in Saudi Arabia is launched from the US Consulate in Dhahran; “The Eye of the Desert” is broadcast in English and only to the Dhahran area. 

Read more: Saudis look back on the dawn of broadcasting on Saudi National Day 


1957

  • The Kingdom’s first institute of higher education, King Saud University, is opened in Riyadh.
  • The launch of Aramco TV, with a wider broadcasting range that reaches Al-Hofuf and other areas across the Gulf. Broadcasts are in both Arabic and English.

OPINION: The 1970s — a seismic decade for Saudi Arabia’s economy  (Frank Kane)


Read more: Mark Lowey, known by his Saudi friends as AbuJack, offers never seen images of the real Saudi during the 1970s


1979

IRANIAN REVOLUTION

January 22 - Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi and his wife leave Tehran.

February 1 - Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returns to Iran from exile in France.

February 11 - Khomeini officially assumes power when troops loyal to the shah surrender.

February 16 - Iran’s revolutionary authorities start executions of leading supporters of the shah, including four top generals.

November 4 - US embassy in Tehran stormed by Iranian students who take 52 Americans hostage, demanding the extradition of the shah.


OPINION: Why Iran’s ‘Awakening’ created a nightmare for the Gulf  (Dr. Mohammed Al-Sulami)



SIEGE OF MAKKAH’S GRAND MOSQUE

November 20 - A well-organized group led by Saudi militant Juhayman Al-Otaibi storms the Grand Mosque with weapons smuggled in coffins and vehicles using members pretending to be there to pray. Al-Otaibi is a member of Al-Jamaa Al-Salafiya Al-




Militants arrested after the Makkah Siege of 1979 are escorted to prison. (File photo) 

Muhtasiba (Salafi Group that Commands Right and Forbids Wrong), which is angered by Western social influence, women’s presence in the Saudi workforce, TV and other issues. Worshippers are prevented from leaving after the announcement of a takeover over a microphone. Hostages are forced to pledge allegiance to the group’s leader, Mohammed bin Abduallah Al-Qahtani, Al-Otaibi and their followers.

December 4 - The siege lasts for two weeks and ends after an intervention by Saudi special forces and their allies, leaving hundreds dead, including Saudi officers, soldiers and civilians as well as Al-Qahtani and his followers. Al-Otaibi is arrested and executed on Jan. 9, 1980.


Read more: 





Arab News Saudi National Day cover wrap by collage artist Peter Quinnell. Check it out: https://tinyurl.com/y2cwarqo 


— NOW —


2016

  • Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman unveils Vision 2030, a road map for Saudi Arabia’s future.
  • The Saudi Cabinet approves a new law restricting the religious police from questioning, pursuing or arresting violators; they must instead report them to the police or anti-narcotics officers.

Read more: Saudi women celebrate new freedoms on Saudi National Day 


  • Princess Reema bint Bandar is appointed vice president for women’s affairs at the General Sports Authwority.
  • Kariman Abuljadayel is the first Saudi woman to compete in the 100-meter event at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil.

Read more: Sporting success puts Saudi Arabia on track for glory on Saudi National Day


  • The General Authority for Entertainment and the General Sports Authority are established by royal decree.

2017

  • King Salman appoints Mohammed bin Salman as crown prince ofSaudi Arabia.
  • The Saudi Stock Exchange appoints a woman, Sarah Al-Suhaimi, as chairperson for the first time.

     

  • In one of the first public music performances in many years, Mohammed Abdo performs for a men-only audience in Jeddah.

  • Giga-projects are launched: NEOM, a $500-billion megacity in theTabuk region, and the RedSea tourism project.
  • Saudi state schools announce that they will offer physical education classes for female students.
  • At the inaugural Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman pledges a return to moderate Islam.

2018

  • Female fans are allowed to attend football matches for the first time in Saudi Arabia; the match was Al-Ahli vs. Al-Batin in Jeddah on Jan. 12. 
  • Ending a 35-year ban on cinemas, the first commercial movie theater opens in Riyadh with a screening of “Black Panther” on April 18.
  • A ban on Saudi women driving is lifted on June 24.
  • An anti-harassment law, approved by the Shoura Council, receives praise from around the world.
  • King Salman launches plans for Qiddiya, expected to be the world’s largest entertainment city.
  • The Culture Ministry, headed by Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Farhan Al-Saud, is established.

Read more: Saudi Arabia’s ‘cultural rebirth’ in spotlight on Saudi National Day


  • Al-Ahsa Oasis is designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.
  • Weam Al-Dakheel becomes the first Saudi woman to anchor the main evening news on Saudi TV.
  • Enrique Iglesias, Amr Diab and the Black Eyed Peas are among the first international performers at the Formula E in Riyadh, for which the first trial tourist visas are granted.
  • The WWE’s Royal Rumble takes place at Jeddah’s King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, beginning a 10-year partnership with the General Sports Authority.

2019

  • Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman launches a mega tourism project in AlUla which will include a resort designed by renowned French architect Jean Nouvel and a nature reserve dubbed Sharaan.

     

  • Lubna Al-Olayan becomes the first Saudi chairwoman to run a Saudi bank, a merger between Alawwal and Saudi British Bank.
  • Saudi Arabia’s first female ambassador, Princess Reema bint Bandar (top center), is appointed to Washington.
  • The Saudi Cabinet approves a “Privileged Iqama residency permit,” which will allow foreign nationals to work and live in Saudi Arabia without a sponsor, offered to highly skilled expatriates and owners of capital funds.
  • By royal decree, Saudi women no longer require permission from a male guardian to travel or obtain a passport.
  • A lineup of superstars perform in concerts across the Kingdom: Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson and 50 Cent in Jeddah; Andrea Bocelli in AlUla; Pitbull and Akon in the Eastern Province.
  • High-profile sports events include the Italian Super Cup between Juventus and AC Milan; Fight Night between world boxing champion Amir Khan and Billy Dib; and the largest Battle Royale in WWE history.

FULL COVERAGE OF SAUDI NATIONAL DAY 2019 >>


Saudi defense minister meets Swedish counterpart

Updated 22 November 2024
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Saudi defense minister meets Swedish counterpart

  • Discussions focused on bolstering cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Sweden

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s minister of defense, Prince Khalid bin Salman, met Johan Stuart, minister of state at the Swedish Prime Minister’s office, in Riyadh on Thursday.

They discussed ways in which relations and cooperation between their countries might be enhanced, along with other issues of mutual interest, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Other Saudi officials present during the discussions included Lt. Gen. Fayyad Al-Ruwaili, chief of the general staff of the Kingdom’s armed forces, and Hisham bin Abdulaziz bin Saif, director general of the defense minister’s office.

The Swedish minister was accompanied by a delegation that included Bjorn Kalvakov, charge d’affaires of the Swedish Embassy in Riyadh, and Sophie Becker, deputy head of the Middle East and North Africa department at Sweden’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.


Italian food festival highlights nation’s rich taste and culinary flavors

Updated 22 November 2024
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Italian food festival highlights nation’s rich taste and culinary flavors

JEDDAH: The Italian Consulate General in Jeddah hosted on Wednesday night a unique event celebrating the richness and uniqueness of Italian products and flavors on the occasion of the ninth edition of the Week of Italian Cuisine in the World. 

The event is being celebrated all over the globe from Nov. 16-22 by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Italian Ministry of Agriculture as part of their drive to promote the beauty and quality of Italian gastronomy.

Leonardo Costa, the Italian consul general in Jeddah, said: “We are glad to hold this Italian food street festival in the framework of the 9th Week of Italian Cuisine in the World celebrating Italian food culture. The theme for this year’s events is ‘Mediterranean Diet: Traditional Cuisine and Healthy Food,’ which is not a list of healthy food but a lifestyle.”

He added: “All the communities of the Mediterranean Sea share the same idea of hospitality and friendship. All concepts that fully applied to the great generosity and hospitality to the Saudi people and their way of conceiving food.”

Held at Al-Basateen Compound, the Italian Consulate General in Jeddah set up an elaborate street food scene around the pool area, ranging from big local Italian brands from shops, supermarkets, restaurants, cafes, and hotels in Jeddah with the attendance of guests drawn from the diplomatic corps, journalists, Italian expatriates, Saudi guests, the business community, and other selected food enthusiasts.

The festival contained multiple food stalls displayed by the sponsors and participants such as Danub, Lallo restaurant, Assila hotel, Margherita KSA, Montana water by Sharbatly, Ferrero, Loacker, and other brands, where everyone showcased different distinctive Italian delicacies.

Music was also played for the guests by DJ Ahmed Can.

Saudi businessman Mohammed Al-Zahrani — who became fascinated by Italian coffee during his visits to Catanzaro, the capital of the Calabria region in Italy, is the founder of Dell’Oro Store. He told Arab News how he turned his passion into a business.

“I am glad to be part of the ninth Week of Italian Cuisine in the World for the first time, and I am here to promote our coffee,” he added.


Spanish aerobatic pilot Castor Fantoba puts on a spectacular air display in Riyadh

Updated 21 November 2024
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Spanish aerobatic pilot Castor Fantoba puts on a spectacular air display in Riyadh

  • World-class pilot soars high at Sand & Fun event

RIYADH: A Spanish world-class powered aerobatic pilot on Tuesday put on a thrilling aerobatic display filled with loops, rolls, spins, dives and climbs at the Sand & Fun event at Al-Thumamah airport, Riyadh. 

Organized by the Saudi General Aviation, the event runs from Nov. 19-23. 

Castor Fantoba’s performance was one of 10 SkyVentures at Sand & Fun’s series of airshows.

In a sitdown interview with Arab News, Fantoba described how his passion for aviation began and what it takes to become a world-class aerobatic pilot. 

As a child, Fantoba lived in the Spanish region of Navarra, where he watched small planes flying in the sky.

“Every child is looking into the blue ... Near my village there was an older field and eventually there were small planes doing tours and I was always stuck to the glass of the car, looking into the window trying to see if there was something around. I think it was that simple thing that marked my life.”

After secondary school, Fantoba developed a deeper admiration for aviation, which led to him pursuing a career as an engineer. 

Fantoba graduated as an aeronautical engineer and gained his extensive flying experience in areas such as aerial advertising, skywriting, crop-dusting and water-bombing.

He then decided to take a different route and become a pilot, after working for several years in aircraft maintenance. 

Today, Fantoba is an airline captain qualified to fly Boeing 737, 757 and 767s, powered aerobatics in the world-renowned Sukhoi Su-26M and is also a certified flight instructor for ultralight motorized gliders, private pilot licence training, and powered aerobatics.

To prepare for his airshows, Fantoba has a precise regimen of physical training and technical training coached by retired pilot and former member of the Soviet and Russian national aerobatic team, Nikolai Nikituk, who is widely recognized as one of the best pilots in the history of aerobatics. 

“He (Nikituk) is the one who is pushing us and modeling us to arrive at that point in which we will compete and try to win.”

During airshows, pilots take turns performing and on some days the wind could work against them. In moments like those, endurance is key, a practice taught by Nikituk.

“If you control your stress, you get focused and you don’t get nervous and lose energy.” 

Aerobatic pilots draw geometrical figures in the sky using a unique composition of sequences. When performing advanced aerial maneuvers, pilots can experience a range of gravitational forces.

Aerobatic pilots are trained to handle these forces by tensing their muscles to maintain blood flow to the brain and avoid blacking out.

Fantoba said dealing with negative Gz force, when pushing a plane over into a dive, took him 10 years of practice to perfect it. 

“After 10 years of training, (previously) I was not able to get the good rotation or transition, but this year I got it so this for me is the most satisfying.”

To avoid problems in equilibrium, prevent dizziness and fade-out, Fantoba said a lot mental focus, physical conditioning, and training are required. 

“You need to do exactly what you are told to do in a sequence. A sequence is composed of about 14 figures that are very complex with rotations in all directions.” 

Fantoba spoke of an experience when he blacked out during a positive Gz flight. “I remember I was beginning a training camp and I was really relaxed during the beginning of the season ... I was not pushing my body … I remember I was going up and then a voice was calling me ‘Castor, do you hear me?’ (on the radio) and I saw all blue and suddenly realized I was flying.”

Pilots begin with 10 points and lose 1 point per 5 degrees of deviation, so precision is vital to a successful airshow. Pilots usually score an average five points, but Fantoba’s attention to detail allowed him to score 8.3 points in the previous World Championship. 

Fantoba encourages individuals to try flying. “With normal health, you can fly ... you have fantastic aircraft here in Saudi Arabia … call them (organizations) and ask them ‘how can I become a pilot?’ It’s easy and you will discover an absolute new world.”

“Aerobatics and generally all air sports, it does not matter if you are a man or woman, it’s based on skill … in aerobatics we do not have separation.”

Fantoba has numerous achievements to his credit. 

He was a runner-up in the 2022 World Team Championship, runner-up in freestyle at the 2019 World Championship; three bronze medals at the 2017 World Cup; double bronze medal in the 2015 World Cup, bronze medal in Classic and Freestyle in the 2016 European Championship, Absolute European Champion 2014, and nine times Absolute Spanish Champion.

He has been officially recognized as a high level athlete by the Higher Sports Council since 2005. He has bagged more than 50 medals in his sporting career, six medals in a single top-category competition (European Aerobatic Championships 2014). He has won 30 FAI (world governing body for air sports) medals, including six golds.


Man arrested for transporting nine border security violators in Jazan

Updated 21 November 2024
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Man arrested for transporting nine border security violators in Jazan

JAZAN: Authorities in Jazan arrested a citizen for transporting nine border security violators of Yemeni and Ethiopian nationalities. Legal procedures were carried out, and the violators were handed over to the authorities before being transferred to the Public Prosecution.

Authorities have warned that anyone who facilitates the entry of border security violators into the Kingdom, transports them, provides them with shelter, or offers any form of assistance or service, will face severe penalties. These include imprisonment of up to 15 years, fines of up to SR1 million ($266,318), confiscation of any vehicles or properties used in the offense, and public defamation.

Meanwhile, while enforcing environmental regulations in the King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve, field patrols of the Special Forces for Environmental Security arrested a man for illegal hunting in a prohibited area. He was found with an air rifle and three trapped wild animals. Legal measures were taken, and he was referred to the authorities for further action.


Ehsan charity empowers non-profit organizations

Updated 21 November 2024
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Ehsan charity empowers non-profit organizations

RIYADH: Workshops arranged by Ehsan, the national platform for charitable work, are helping empower non-profit organizations.

The initiative will ensure leaders keep pace with the governance of charitable work, with sessions aimed at developing methods to plan and implement projects.

The events are part of Ehsan’s efforts to increase the knowledge and develop the work of its non-governmental partner organizations. They align with its vision of maximizing the impact of projects, developing technical solutions, strengthening partnerships and empowering the non-profit sector.

The first workshops were launched in the Hail, Al-Jouf, Central and Asir regions, and Jeddah Governorate. More than 500 non-governmental organizations took part.