Saudi Arabia through the eyes of Saudi students in London

Saudi students discussed their visions for a future Saudi Arabia at the inaugural Misk Talk in London on Wednesday evening. During a series of presentations at the Dorchester Hotel, 12 young Saudis studying in London took the stage to discuss their ideas for realizing Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals.

Misk, also known as the Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Foundation, is a non-profit organization that aims to empower youth to become active participants in Saudi Arabia’s emerging knowledge economy, focusing on four key areas: Education, creative and digital media, technology, culture and the arts.

Presentations covered a range of subjects relevant to realizing the crown prince’s national agenda, including a talk on future technology by Ph.D. student Mohammed Al-Enezi, who highlighted the rapidly evolving requirements of the modern Saudi city. “A smart city is much less than what we need — we need a new city just like NEOM,” he said, in reference to the $500 billion smart city planned by Saudi Arabia.

Health care student Wareed Al-Enaini highlighted the importance of “making Saudi Arabia a pioneer in health care.” Describing some of the new medical technologies available to address the Kingdom’s high obesity and diabetes rates, she said: “One of the goals of the vision is to have a vibrant society with a very strong foundation … together we can create a health care system that respects individual needs and promotes a healthy vibrant kingdom.”

Fashion student Eman Al-Khalifah said doing a fashion Ph.D. was a “big turning point” in her life. Discussing the future of Muslim attire, she outlined the opportunity for the Saudi market to develop the modest fashion sector. “Many Muslim women feel unhappy with the products available to them at the moment … no big competitor has emerged in this market yet, it is a big opportunity for our community to focus on this market.”
The event coincided with the crown prince’s visit to London this week.

Mohammed Abuazzah, chief marketing officer of the Misk Foundation, said in a statement: “Misk is proud to bring together these young Saudis living in Britain for an event showcasing Saudi talent and celebrating cross-cultural dialogue, during Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s UK visit. We want to celebrate young people from Saudi Arabia who are advancing humanity through their commitment to knowledge, innovation and importantly, dialogue and exchange with people around the world.”

“These young Saudis are a testament not just to their country, but to their generation internationally. It’s often said that youth are the future. Guests at our Misk Talk will hear stories of young people leaving their comfort zone, moving beyond defining the challenges of today, to shaping the solutions of tomorrow.”