Alaa Alghamdi

Friday, the 23rd of September, marks the 92nd anniversary of Saudi Arabia’s national unity. The celebration of our National Day means celebrating the anniversary of the day that our Kingdom was united. Once scattered and disparate, our Kingdom came together as one group of people, as one nation, in 1932. This day of celebration remains one of our most celebrated historical events.

On that day, our founder King Abdulaziz, may God have mercy on his soul, issued a decree to create the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from the Kingdom of Hejaz and Najd. Whenever this anniversary passes, we mark the historical significance of this day across the entire nation, coming together as one group of people to discuss our pride in being part of this great Kingdom.

It is the unity achieved by the country that signifies our strength and our greatness. It is the bedrock of our growth, development, and progress that we have achieved over nearly a century as one Kingdom. From our start in 1932, we saw the beginning of standardization. It was also the start of an era that can only be described as our renaissance.

Today, we realize the renaissance that we have achieved and the progress that has been amassed in the last 92 years. In such a short time, we have seen our great country go from being an unknown, underdeveloped country to a major state. We have been able to impose and display our prestige worldwide, becoming a voice in politics and the global economy. We have made our mark on the international stage and continue influencing the global world.

This year, as we celebrate our National Day, it is essential to remember that our country continues to face a bright future in the face of our goals for the 2030 vision. Part of that vision comes with extraordinary events, such as the Global AI Summit, gathering the best leaders and the most prominent people in our Kingdom to share their knowledge. It is a great honor to know that we are deeply involved in such revolutionary work that will change the future for the next generation.

We continue building robust infrastructure in our hospitals, schools, universities, and cities. We continue to promote the empowerment of women, which is an integral part of the equitable future we see for our glorious Kingdom. We send thousands of students to study abroad, learning from others so that we may bring back the brightest and best students to influence the next generation.

It is our responsibility to ensure this continuation, to maintain unity, and to promote and improve our security. As part of this proud Kingdom, our prosperity is only the beginning. We must continue to fight for a prosperous future not only for our children but also for our children’s children.

God bless our country and all who proudly defend it! Happy National Day, and may we all continue to work towards our bright future.

Professor of English Literature *

@ayghamd