JEDDAH, 23 September 2003 — Today is our National Day, the day our country became the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A day like this calls for soul-searching and introspection. We must pause and look, and think and act with great care. The challenges facing us as a nation in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks on the US make this all the more necessary.
Two years after the attacks, Saudi Arabia continues to be the victim of a vilification campaign in the US media, eagerly assisted by irresponsible statements from some members of the political establishment there. We should counter these charges as best we can. But that is only one of the tasks that lie ahead. The other, more important task, is putting our own house in order.
There is no point in ignoring some obvious and disturbing facts. One fact is that some of our young people are drawn to extremist ideology and thinking. We are going to have to do all we can to show them the error of their ways. We need to persuade them that there are far better ways for them to serve their religion and their nation. Our focus should be on the young, on giving them every opportunity to channel their energy in a way that contributes to the welfare of Saudi Arabia in a globalized world.
But every citizen of this country must feel involved in nation-building — women included. And the government is already taking some important steps in that direction.
What all this requires is a stable society. This means that all those who are out to disrupt social order need to be dealt with firmly. We have to play our part in the global war on terrorism, for we have been its victims even before the Sept. 11 attacks. Crown Prince Abdullah has said the Kingdom is going ahead with its war on terror, adopting comprehensive measures to combat the forces of destruction. He has urged greater international cooperation in fighting terrorism and drying up sources of terrorist funding, and again the Kingdom needs the contribution of all citizens.
The Kingdom is making final arrangements to join the World Trade Organization. The aim is to sign the remaining 16 bilateral agreements by the end of the year, paving the way for final accession negotiations and submission of the papers to the WTO governing council. We have a grace period of up to 2005. But it is in the interest of Saudi Arabia to join the WTO well before the grace period expires, because this will give Saudi companies the breathing space they need to adjust to the new, perhaps tougher, environment.
Of course, on this occasion we may also look at the paths already taken, the mountains already climbed, the successes already achieved.
In looking back, however, we should not allow ourselves to indulge in an orgy of self-glorification, self-congratulation and self-satisfaction. Within certain limits there may be room for those too, but anyone who thinks carefully and analyzes precisely will quickly grasp that it would be counterproductive. We may be justifiably pleased with the past, but we have to live in the present and prepare for the future. If we fail to do so, we will be left with nothing but a past that recedes further and further into the distance as time moves on.
It would be tragic if we failed to build ourselves a present and a future. It would also be a betrayal of our heritage, especially in view of the achievements of our forefathers, who created a modern state out of the sands of an unmapped desert precisely because they had a vision and desire for improvement. There are important — and very pertinent — lessons to be learned from the experience of the independent tribal units in that desert which ultimately became a single nation. Some of the most important lessons are the value of cooperation, the strength that comes from unity and the power that comes from right. We must learn once again — since it seems we are often in danger of forgetting — how to keep in our hearts and our children’s hearts a national consciousness that transcends all narrow and petty allegiances. We must relearn to put the common good before the personal and the public good before the private. These are not easy lessons, and we can expect a great struggle ahead.
Developments that took scores of years in other places occurred in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in a fraction of the time. Compared to the development in many other countries, we have had little time to adjust to the rapid changes and technological advances that were thrust upon us. The story of that journey — from camels to cars and airplanes, from candles to electricity and computers, from widespread illiteracy to schools and colleges in every corner of the country — is a fascinating one. The grandparents of those who read this article were born in that earlier world and lived to see it transformed almost beyond recognition. In telling that story, we acknowledge our roots and our history. In recalling it, we remind ourselves and our children that the roads, schools, hospitals, airports, shopping malls and other appendages of modern life did not simply spring up here like a plant in rich watered soil. Hard work, both physical and mental, produced what we enjoy today in the Kingdom. Hard work put every single brick into place and pushed every obstacle aside.
The credit for determining the nature and direction of Saudi Arabia’s development goes essentially to the vision of a most rare and unusual man. He was a man who could make the necessary imaginative leaps and see ahead of his time: Abdul Aziz ibn Abdul Rahman Al-Saud. Born to lead and to inspire love in those who followed him, he was one of a rare breed of men who could move forward with the changing times yet never lose touch with his roots. He united almost the entire Arabian Peninsula and created a nation.
Even in that distant past, when we had only very limited financial resources and virtually no international experience, the Kingdom accepted its challenges and assumed its responsibilities in both Arab and global affairs. Saudi Arabia was among the founders of the Arab League as well as the United Nations. Though non-interference in the domestic affairs of other nations is a basic tenet of its foreign policy, it has never hesitated to stand on the side of right and justice and to follow tenaciously the directives and precepts of Islam.
The Kingdom’s generosity is well known and well documented. There are few developing nations that have not benefited from Saudi aid, given by various Saudi agencies. Wherever there is human misery and human need, the Kingdom has extended the hand of generosity to all, whether Muslim or non-Muslim.
Since its earliest days, the Kingdom has enjoyed security and stability. This is largely due to the dedication and sincerity of those entrusted with the task of governing it and the government’s concern and care for the citizens. The lessons learned from our history and traditions will help us surmount the obstacles on our path. We could do no better than to emulate the strength of character and the tenacity of purpose displayed by King Abdul Aziz and our forefathers.
