DAMMAM, 2 August 2005 — He was rightly called father of modern Saudi Arabia! King Fahd, was a man with a mission. And all will admit that he not only accomplished his mission in his active life time but also prepared a solid foundation to carry the Kingdom into the 21st century as a strong, developed and modern nation. What made King Fahd different from many other contemporary world leaders was the fact that, despite his age, he was the voice of the millions of young people in the country.
His total commitment to the education-for-all philosophy in reality was the very basis of his modernization drive. His vision of a modern Saudi Arabia was a fine a mixture of modernity and religion. Addressing the students at the then University of Petroleum and Minerals (UPM, now known as KFUPM) in 1986 King Fahd outlined his vision of the 21st Century Saudi Arabia and assured the students of their rights in the country. He vigorously campaigned for Saudization and structured more than a dozen employment policies to accommodate the unemployed young of the country.
I was a young boy when King Fahd was addressing the students of KFUPM but the memory of my excited elder brother is still fresh. “He gave us a new dream to accomplish,” my brother’s voice still echoes. My brother was echoing the sentiments of the millions of youths who saw the opening of a new chapter in the country. It was during this address when King Fahd expressed his intentions of openness and Islamic democracy; these later took a concrete form as the Majlis-e-Shoura.
King Fahd’s historic address at the university prompted the university management to name the university after him, a rare distinction to a living person. In addition to education, King Fahd was also committed to industrialization of the country. In late ‘80s his speeches all focused on diversification, self-sufficiency in the industrial sector and conformation to international standards in manufacturing. The concept of organized industrial cities originated from this desire for industrialization. It was this vision that eventually took shape as the Royal Commission of Jubail and Yanbu which manages the twin Industrial Cities of Jubail and Yanbu. Every commentator, economic analyst and industrial expert unanimously agrees that the industrial revolution was initiated, nurtured and made concrete by King Fahd.
In the ‘70s no one would have imagined that in just a decade the country would not only become self-sufficient in various industrial goods but also become a major player in the international market in non-oil commodities.
Certainly man is mortal and so was King Fahd. But man’s deeds, his actions and his contribution to the society is what keeps him alive forever. The country has lost a King Fahd in flesh and blood, but his spirit will always remain alive not only in the hearts of Saudis but millions of people around the world who will remember him for his bold measures and his dedication to the cause of ordinary man in Saudi Arabia.
