Her Royal Highness Ambassador Reema bint Bandar Al Saud
In light of the differences and divisions that plague our world, sport comes as a force capable of uniting societies and bringing people together under one umbrella, transcending the borders of countries, as it creates a common celebration of sporting talent and the spirit of teamwork and solidarity, starting from local stadiums, all the way to international arenas, in a brilliant embodiment. For the values of unity, diversity, and inclusivity, which are the essence of the transformation and progress taking place in the Kingdom today in its broadest form, with sports being one of its primary drivers.
This began with the launch of Saudi Vision 2030; The comprehensive economic, social and cultural transformation plan, and the road map towards a prosperous future, which accelerated the Kingdom’s openness and interconnection with the world in an unprecedented way, and made sport one of the most prominent factors in this interconnection. Through its huge investments in various sports that enjoy a high level of professionalism and popularity, it is no longer It not only expands its global engagement, but also contributes to the diversification of the national economy, enhances community vitality and improves citizens’ healthier lifestyles.
This applies especially to the women of Saudi Arabia; Because women’s success and progress in various fields lies at the heart of our economic, social and sporting transformation. Since the beginning of Saudi Vision 2030, women’s participation in sports has increased by more than 150%, and with more than 330,000 registered female athletes and thousands of female coaches, guides, referees and sports doctors, Saudi women compete. Today in the local, regional and international arenas, you are winning awards.
Given the rapid pace of growth and progress that the Kingdom has witnessed from a few years ago until today, we are witnessing a historic event by all standards, as unlimited sporting opportunities are created for Saudi women. Every sport, every podium, and every medal is within reach, and is no longer a distant dream.
Since His Highness the Crown Prince – may God protect him – began his transformational vision, the Kingdom has been committed to providing an enabling and stimulating environment for women in sports fields. Sports were introduced into the school curricula for girls, and regulations were reformulated to enable women to obtain licenses to operate and own clubs and gyms, and all sports federations were directed to have representation. It includes women on its boards of directors and representatives in its international delegations. Women’s national teams have also been established and controls have been put in place to ensure equal wages between men and women, and the presence of sports facilities of the same quality for both sexes. During the past year, the Saudi women’s national football team received the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) classification for the first time, indicating the growing interest in women’s football in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Our achievements continue, and with each achievement we are certain that we have achieved progress in empowering Saudi women in sports, and the numbers speak for themselves.
Today we have more than 500 women’s sports centres, 104 female board members, seven federation presidents, 37 women’s national teams, 97 female coaches, 15,000 girls enjoying tennis in schools for the first time, and more than 70,000 girls participating in football competitions in our schools. Today, female participation in sports – in general – is only 2% less than men’s participation. In 2020, we celebrated the first female Paralympic athlete in Tokyo, and this year, 2024, the first Saudi female Olympic swimmer competed on the world stage in Paris.
We have come a long way in a short period of time, achieving clear and tangible transformations. We realize that there will always be challenges and obstacles that we will face on this path, but we are strongly committed to achieving our ambitious vision. For the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to become – God willing – a leading country in sports in the world, because we embrace a culture of health, inclusiveness and excellence, which is at the core of our goals and development plans.
In addition to these numbers, the humanitarian impact remains the compass of the event. With the emergence of national names of athletes and champions, our passion for sports in its various fields has increased, and Vision 2030 has strengthened that passion through its interest in providing new opportunities to participate and enjoy international championships, such as: the Formula E Championship and the World Championship. For professional wrestlers, the Formula 1 Grand Prix, and the Spanish Super Cup.
Today we are witnessing the emergence of inspiring female role models in various arenas and professions, and we have one goal towards which we are moving: to give everyone the opportunity to discover and practice their sports passion, so we will continue the path of investment and sports empowerment.
The Kingdom has a rich sporting future, with its candidacy to host many sporting tournaments and events in the coming years, which will constitute important stations in the Kingdom’s sporting development process, and one of these stations is the 2034 FIFA World Cup, in which we look forward to highlighting the Kingdom’s rich sporting heritage and its infrastructure. World-class infrastructure and warm hospitality.
In addition, hosting is in line with our efforts to raise the level of Saudi football globally, which is embodied in nurturing promising talent, increasing the popularity of the sport and raising its commercial value, and through the careful establishment of young players, and building a supportive environment that stimulates broad participation in football, and focuses our efforts To build a national team capable of achieving great results in major tournaments.
Today, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has become a leading sports destination and incubator for various sports, and this is reflected in improving the health of its people, achieving inclusiveness, enhancing interconnection with the international community, and highlighting the Kingdom’s culture and rich heritage in sports fields.
ظهرت في الأصل على www.vision2030.gov.sa