Saudi officials in missions abroad asked to wear national dress

Fatima Al-Dibais Okaz/Saudi Gazette DAMMAM — Instructions have been issued to all officials representing the Kingdom abroad to wear the formal Saudi dress consisting of the thobe (garment), qutra, (head dress), iqal (head ribbon) and mishlah (traditional overcoat). Official sources told Okaz/Saudi Gazette that officials should be in their national dress while attending conferences, participating in meetings or giving TV interviews. The sources said all senior Saudi officials have received these instructions to carry them out while representing their country abroad. They said similar instructions were previously issued. Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Naif, deputy premier and minister of interior, issued directives two years ago in his capacity as interior minister that Passports Department (Jawazat) officer should wear Saudi national dress instead of the green uniform. The objective behind the change in dress code was the motivation to promote Saudi identity. “It is of utmost importance that the first contact of foreigners arriving into the Kingdom or their last contact with Saudi officials be with people who represent the genuine Saudi national identity,” an official said that time.