A German couple who moved to the Kingdom five years ago has published a pictorial book depicting the country’s wonders.
Jens and Kirsten Niemann, co-authors of “Beautiful Saudi Arabia,” fell in love with the Kingdom soon after they arrived.
“This is a beautiful country with a dazzling landscape and extensive cultural heritage,” the Niemanns told Arab News in an exclusive interview.
“Unfortunately, citizens hardly know their own country and foreigners even less so,” they said.
The couple visited countless places throughout the Kingdom in their free time to discover the country, “which is six times the size of Germany,” said Jens, whose hobby is to take photos of people, places and national heritage.
The couple had not initially thought of putting their experiences inside a book.
“The book isn’t only about sharing our experiences,” said Jens. “The book improves the image of a country that is negatively perceived abroad. This was our main goal in writing it.”
Jens is an aerospace engineer and information technology lecturer at the joint Saudi-German Technical Trainers College (TTC) in Riyadh, while his wife Kirsten is a photographer, author and publisher.
“We love this country and have traveled extensively throughout it because photography is our hobby,” she said.
“We capture images of people, landscapes and heritage. Many people who saw our photos encouraged us to compile them within a book,” said Jens.
“I feel obliged to share what I experienced with others because we want to show the world that Saudi Arabia is very much a livable place.”
“We do not agree with negative stereotypes about the country,” he said. “On the contrary, Saudi Arabia is a decent and peaceful country. The people here are very friendly. This is what encouraged us to travel and explore the beautiful countryside.”
Jens said that the project was difficult, nonetheless, due to the language barrier, but that they eventually overcame all the hurdles, including the permission to publish the book.
The book, in short, is a culmination of their travels and experiences throughout their years in the Kingdom.
“The book, published by me and my wife, pays homage to the Kingdom and its people and aims to depict its greatness, beauty and diversity,” he said.
“We hope that this book helps foster friendships between this country and other nations and enhances respect for culture diversity, as well as shows foreigners that the Kingdom has multiple dimensions.”
The couple collected thousands of pictures in their four years of travel to 25 cities, including Abha, Al-Ahsa, Al-Baha, Hail, Al-Jouf, Madain Saleh, Najran, the Red Sea area, Rijal Alma, Riyadh, Tabuk, Tayma and Al-Ula.
“Our voyage of discovery was worth the effort,” Jens added.
“I believe the book can change peoples’ mindsets,” said Kirsten. “As many as 70 percent of people who bought our book said it was meant for their family home, since most of them never visited Saudi Arabia.”
The Niemanns have dedicated the book to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and the people of Saudi Arabia.
WHERE TO FIND THE BOOK: According to the authors' Facebook account, the book is presently available only from the authors in Riyadh. For inquiries, please email [email protected].
