Hanan Alnufaie
Saudi Gazette
CNN’s John Defterios, a moderator in one of the sessions at the UNESCO NGO Forum 2017 that is being organized in partnership with MISK Foundation in Riyadh, said change in Saudi Arabia is happening at a quick pace and , as the event shows, is all round.
He was moderating the session “Hidden Heroes”, one of the several panel discussions aiming at empowering youth to have an impact on the world and to start to be the difference they want to see in the world.
The session saw Khalida Brohi, who came from a Pakistani tribe, and Manyang Reath Kher, whose drive was to help refugees spoke about their experiences.
Brohi decided to help solve tribal issues, and she founded an organization to end honor killings and empower Pakistani women. Kher decided to turn his suffering as a refugee into making a difference in the world by launching a campaign to help Sudanese refugees by selling African coffee in Richmond area.
After the session, Saudi Gazette spoke to Defterios to find out about his views on the change happening in the Kingdom.
“I cover the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, and the world is watching with great interest the transformation plan going on in the Kingdom. This year this huge event in Riyadh, in partnership with Misk Foundation, shows the interest of the government in empowering its youth. The session I moderated was a bout two great heroes who came to Riyadh to share their struggle and passion with world generations including the future generation of Saudi leaders,” he said
“It is not all about economics, employment and getting investment in. It is about building a well-rounded society which can contribute to the development process in the Kingdom,” he added.
“I believe today’s event in Riyadh plants a seed in the minds of young individual, to give them a chance to grow. So the NGO brought examples of successful youth to help in the growth and development. Saudi youth want to make a difference. The rate of change is very positively extraordinary.
“There are big initiatives to pull all the different ministries together to create right investment climate, more job opportunities, but it has to be a cohesive society that is able to give back and make a difference. To put the foundation for well-rounded society that includes investment, job opportunity, and bringing entertainment into the society but also includes giving back to society and that should be the role of the young Saudi generations. There is big positive change going on in the society and I can tell that the youth is accepting and motivated by this potential,” he added.
He believes that the amount of change seen over the past 12 months, since the launch of the Vision 2030, is pretty radical by any standards in the region. “That is not only happening on the economic level but also on the social level because they both go hand in hand,” he said. “From the international point of view, the change happening is very fast-paced but it is sustainable change.”
The government is very keen on social development. They work on this by enhancing the contribution and productivity of individuals. “I came to the Four Seasons hotel five years ago, there were no Saudi women working in the front office but now women are contributing to society through different types of jobs,” he said.
