Minister of Sports: 150 World Championships and 3.5 Million Visitors in the Kingdom
His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, Minister of Sports and President of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee, extended his warmest congratulations and blessings to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and to His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince and Prime Minister - may God protect them - and to the generous Saudi people, on the occasion of the glorious founding day anniversary.
Historical depth and unwavering unity
In a press statement on this cherished national occasion, His Highness the Minister of Sport affirmed that the Founding Day embodies the deep historical roots of the Saudi state, dating back to the era of Imam Muhammad bin Saud – may God have mercy on him – recalling the strong foundations of unity, stability, and security established in the Arabian Peninsula during that foundational period. His Highness noted that this blessed journey has spanned three centuries of development and empowerment, beginning with the era of the founding King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman – may God rest his soul – which marked a pivotal turning point in the establishment of the modern state, and culminating in the current prosperous era in which the Kingdom is witnessing a comprehensive developmental renaissance across all sectors.
Saudi sports: Record-breaking achievements and global successes
Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal presented statistics reflecting the tremendous growth of the sports sector in the Kingdom, noting that the generous and unlimited support from the wise leadership has enabled the sector to achieve remarkable progress. His Highness revealed the Kingdom's success in hosting more than 150 international and continental events and championships since 2018. These events were not merely fleeting occurrences, but rather transformed the Kingdom into a global destination for athletes and fans, attracting more than 3.5 million visitors from around the world. This reflects the positive impact of sports on supporting the tourism sector and enhancing the Kingdom's soft power.
Achieving the goals of Vision 2030
In a related context concerning the social and health impact, the Minister of Sport explained that national strategies have successfully achieved one of the most important objectives of the Kingdom's Vision 2030, namely promoting a healthy lifestyle, with the percentage of people participating in sports in the local community rising to 59.1% . This figure is a vital indicator of the success of the "Quality of Life" program initiatives in raising awareness of the importance of physical activity and providing a suitable environment for practicing sports for all segments of society.
Continuing the development process
His Highness concluded his speech by emphasizing that the sports sector, like other sectors of the state, continues to move forward steadily and resolutely to keep pace with the journey of comprehensive development and progress, asking God Almighty to protect the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and His Crown Prince, and to perpetuate the blessings of security, safety, prosperity and elevation upon the Kingdom.
