Saudis around the world are celebrating Saudi Arabia’s 90th National day today, the Kingdom’s top national holiday dedicated to the history of the Kingdom as a unified state.
Flags alongside a road in Saudi Arabia to celebrate its 90th national day.
Saudi National Day is the Kingdom’s equivalent of the 4th of July. Although the Coronavirus pandemic has limited in-person celebrations, buildings in the Saudi capital Riyadh and across the Kingdom were lit up in green in celebration and hundreds of thousands of Saudis were treated to a special air show from Saudi defense forces.
The holiday commemorates the announcement of the Saudi Kingdom’s unification on September 23rd, 1932 by King Abdulaziz Al-Saud, who united and renamed the Kingdoms of Nejd and Hejaz to Saudi Arabia by a royal decree.
The celebration of Saudi National Day honors not only the establishment of Saudi Arabia with the unification of the country but also the development of Saudi Arabia since its founding.
بإسمي وكافة منسوبي السفارة ارفع أسمى آيات التهاني والتبريكات لمقام مولاي خادم الحرمين الشريفين وسمو ولي عهده الامين – حفظهما الله – وللشعب السعودي الكريم بمناسبة #اليوم_الوطني_السعودي90 لمملكتنا الحبيبة. #همة_حتى_القمه pic.twitter.com/vNz3Id0X6a
— Reema Bandar Al-Saud (@rbalsaud) September 23, 2020
King Abdulaziz ordered at the beginning of structuring Saudi Arabia to emphasize the Kingdom as home to the Two Holy Mosques, and oversaw their expansion and to serving pilgrims and Umrah performers. Saudi Arabia celebrates all parts of its development from its inception, including the establishment of schools and hospitals, turning villages into towns and large cities, and providing basic services and a quality of life to all of Saudi Arabia.
The celebrations will also take place online. Social media is filled with Saudis sharing various green-and-white themed posts.
