“Noor Nugali, a deputy director of Arab News, highlights the incredible changes that have taken place since the announcement of the Saudi Vision 2030 project seven years ago. Speaking at the ‘Saudi village’ event in Rome, organized by the Saudi Arabian embassy to celebrate the Kingdom’s national day and the 90th anniversary of relations between Rome and Riyadh, Nugali explains that many people believed such a monumental project could not be achieved. However, in just seven years, Saudi Arabia now has eight female ambassadors, with Princess Reema Bandar Al-Saud being the first and Haifa Al-jedea being the most recent appointment as the head of the Saudi mission to the EU.
This progress demonstrates that women have always had the skills, but lacked opportunities to prove their worth. Now that doors are open, women are becoming CEOs, directors, and managers in all fields, filling us with pride as we admire their abilities and entrepreneurial spirit,” emphasizes Nugali.
Nugali goes on to say that the goals of Vision 2030 are being met ahead of schedule, as confirmed by Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman in a recent interview with Fox News. Nugali cites the example of how women now own 40% of small businesses, a change that began when Vision 2030 was announced seven years ago. The numbers are surpassing expectations every day. Nugali also mentions the decreasing rates of female unemployment, which improve year after year.
Vision 2030 is not solely the vision of the leadership that announced the project, but of the entire Saudi population. The Saudi people are enthusiastic about turning this magnificent vision into reality. Nugali believes that there is a great effort being made by the Saudi leadership, who work day and night to achieve these goals. She adds that the enthusiasm and ambition of the young Saudi population, with 70% under the age of 35, contribute to the country’s progress.
Nugali also emphasizes the similarities between Saudi Arabia and Italy, particularly in terms of family values and traditions. Both cultures share a love for spending time with family and enjoying food. There is also a strong bond with grandparents, who play a significant role in raising intelligent and ambitious girls. Nugali suggests that the love for football is another common interest. She hopes for increased tourism between the two countries, with more Italians visiting Saudi Arabia and more Saudi tourists visiting Italy.”
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