Founding Day: A celebration of the past, present and future 
Saudi Arabia will celebrate its fourth Founding Day this weekend after a royal decree in 2022 allocated Feb. 22 of each year as the date to celebrate it.
The day is associated with the values and heroisms achieved throughout history, to establish this unified Kingdom. It is associated with the anniversary of the founding of the first unified Saudi state under the leadership of Imam Mohammed bin Saud and his men, who pledged allegiance and supported him under the banner of monotheism.
It is the day that symbolizes the historical, civilizational and cultural depth of the Kingdom, and the first Saudi state founded in 1727. It is not only a reflection of the Kingdom’s past, but also a celebration of its present and future.
With the passage of three centuries and the progress, advancement and prosperity that the Kingdom has achieved today, and the love and loyalty that its people and residents have for the Saudi leadership, this great occasion has become a turning point in the history of the Saudi people and what it represents in terms of unity, solidarity and loyalty.
This occasion must be studied in its details and events because of its great importance in establishing an entity for a state whose foundations were laid by King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al-Saud.
Celebrating this occasion is a highlight of a great history that reflects its position among nations in different eras.
Given the historical depth and cultural legacy of the state, the Founding Day represents an important opportunity to remember the efforts made by the imams of the first Saudi state, the fruit of which is an immortal homeland under whose banner we live today, the modern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The historic occasion, with the passage of three centuries and the progress and prosperity that the Kingdom has achieved today, and the love and loyalty that its people and residents have for the land, combines love and loyalty to its visionary leadership.
We celebrate, as we reside and work in this state and see its progress, prosperity and cultural transformation in all fields under the leadership of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The Kingdom under their leadership has hosted many international conferences and summits and won the bid to host the FIFA World Cup 2034.
We see the Kingdom as a workshop that deserves for us to stand in reverence and appreciation for what we see for these generous people.
- Bruno Hardegger, vice president of RTE Group of Companies, has more than 30 years’ experience in the Energy Industry Management, several publications and technical papers. He holds various leadership and management certification from BSR in Switzerland and Mays Business school at Texas A&M. He worked in several continents and countries in Europe, North America and the Middle East, with almost 20 years of working and residing in Saudi Arabia.
