Two days in the past I spoke about Saudi tourism… Possibly now could be the time to talk once more… Please verify the “Messi/Messy” factor right here. OK, so the thought of the advert is to get well-known soccer participant Messi as an envoy to debunk Saudi “stereotypes”. Saudi Arabia will not be “only a desert”. That is appropriate however I even have seen paved roads with the sand which was excavated thrown on the 2 sides of the streets. Once more, sure, Saudi Arabia is not only a desert, however to get to the opposite elements requires being out of the classical sedentary areas.
Now, “nothing ever occurs”? Positive there are concert events and occasions lead by Turki Al-Sheikh (in line with his wikipedia he’s is a Saudi adviser on the Royal Court docket below the rank of Minister and the present Chairman of Common Authority for Leisure). Main A-list stars have flocked to Saudi Arabia to do concert events, many different stars have been granted Saudi nationality and on it goes. How a lot of this trickles all the way down to the conventional/common Saudi is nonetheless open for debate.
Is it a “closed tradition”? Okay, that is the place it will get tough. Stadiums have solely very lately opened a piece for “households” (as every thing – eating places and many others, there are locations for “singles” (i.e. males) and “households”), and sure ladies have been granted the precise to drive additionally not way back. Could I nonetheless remind you of the case of Loujain Al-Hathloul who was jailed for 3 years for campaigning for ladies’s rights to drive and who was solely launched very very shortly earlier than ladies obtained their proper to drive? Once more, maybe so much occurred because the final time I used to be within the kingdom in 2004 visiting a VIP shopper, however as soon as extra, no – society will not be open. Allow us to not conceal behind our fingers.
“Women cannot”. OK, there’s Sarah Attar who competed within the London 2012 version, and there have been others as nicely – notably Wajdan Shahrakhani the judo participant who participated in the identical version. However get this, there was somebody on X (previously twitter) who described these ladies as “عاهرات الاولمبياد” (actually the Olympics sluts). Sort reminder – this was solely 12 years in the past and barely. Now, are you going to inform me a society goes from ultra-conservative to Liberal on this quick span of time?
You possibly can watch the movie right here. I nonetheless suppose although that what was proven within the movie are the exceptions that show the rule.
