RIYADH: As the clock struck 12 midnight, the decades-old ban on women driving was lifted in Saudi Arabia. What was unimaginable a few years ago has now become a reality.
Several women with foreign licenses have already obtained Saudi driving licenses and those who do not know driving are making full use of the infrastructure set in place to help them learn.
From Sunday onward, women behind the wheel will be a common sight on the Kingdom’s roads. People should also prepare themselves to see women revving motorbikes as well.
Opting for the two-wheelers gives many women a sense of empowerment. Alia Abu Dhuhair, a Saudi banker from Tabuk, told Arab News that she had been passionate about bikes since her childhood.
“I love motorcycles because it reminds me of the good old days when we used to go to the beach. We used to ride them there.”
“It made me feel happy and free. I wish to ride a motorcycle instead of a car. It is faster, without any parking hassles and one feels free and cool,” she said.
Shahad Al-Harbi, a Saudi marketing student in Chicago, is also a bike lover, who finds biking an adrenaline-pumping activity. She said she had tried riding a bike with one of her friends in Chicago. “It was really an amazing experience.”
Both the Saudi bike lovers agree that Harley-Davidson motorcycles are the best in the world. As a matter of fact, Harley-Davidson is the dream of every person passionate about motorbikes.
“The brand is also very popular here in Saudi Arabia. Harley-Davidson is special because of its unique design, strength and luxury,” said Abu Dhuhair.
Both believe that their parents might not encourage them to ride motorbikes mainly because of safety concerns.
Al-Harbi said: “My parents are very protective and I do not think they will be supportive of the idea. They may feel uneasy because of the stories we hear about accidents involving motorbikes.”
“I believe Saudi women will prove to be good motorcyclists because they drive cautiously and strictly follow traffic rules,” she added.
In Saudi Arabia and many other countries, it is mandatory to obtain a license to ride a bike. Like elsewhere, there are training institutes in the Kingdom.
Wael bin Huraib, director of the Bikers Skill Institute, told Arab News about the institute and what programs it offers to women.
“We train people who are passionate about. All of our instructors are well experienced and certified,” he said.
The Riyadh-based Bikers Skill Institute is considered the first institute to conduct structured motorbike training in Saudi Arabia. Established in 2011, the institute mainly focuses on safety through skills and offers courses, such as the Basic Motorcycle Riding, Smart Riding, Top Gun, Motogymkhana, Off-Road Trainings and Kids Motorcycle Schools. It not only offers training to males but has also designed special courses for women.
Huraib said: “The females’ section is well equipped and has female trainers. The courses comply with international standards and generally consist of two parts — theory and field training.”
Harley-Davidson has been operating in Saudi Arabia since 2004. Initially, it started operations from Riyadh but over time it has expanded to other cities such as Jeddah and Alkhobar.
The CEO of Harley Davidson in Saudi Arabia, Mishal Al-Mutlaq, said: “We care about the safety of our clients so we focus on the safety features of our motorcycles. These days, the number of women visiting our stores has increased. We have brought in feminine colors that will be appreciated more by females. A motorcycle is just like a car. Its features and engine have nothing to do with genders. Women can drive all kinds of Harley-Davidson motorcycles like their male counterparts.”
Harley-Davidson is famous for organizing events like motorbike rallies, especially for its members.
When asked about the possibility of organizing such an event in the Kingdom, he said: “In the near future, we might consider a special event for females and hire females in our stores as trainers and in the sales department. We use to have female employees in the female accessories section. We are planning to focus on that more.”
“Today the store does not only have motorcycles but also accessories, souvenirs and clothes for females so we are used to seeing females in the store buying things from us.”
The Saudi Driving School in Princess Noura University also offers a motorbike driver’s license. As its website says, the requirements for obtaining a motorbike license are simple. “The candidates must be 16 or older, unlike the private driver’s license, where the applicants must be 18 or older. To obtain a motorbike driver’s license, the applicant also needs to bring written permission from a guardian if she is under 18, along with official documents like IDs and photos.
Not just four-wheelers, Saudi women want to hit the road on two-wheels
Not just four-wheelers, Saudi women want to hit the road on two-wheels
How Saudi Arabia’s five Founding Day symbols tell a 299-year story
- The flag, the palm, the Arabian horse, the souq and the falcon are symbols that connect Saudi Arabia to its roots
- Researcher Ismail Abdullah Hejles explains how the Kingdom’s symbols anchor identity, heritage and continuity
RIYADH: As Saudi Arabia prepares to mark its 299th anniversary this Founding Day — commemorating the establishment of the First Saudi State by Imam Muhammed bin Saud in 1727 CE — the moment invites reflection not only on history, but on the symbols that distill that history into enduring meaning.
Beyond ceremony and celebration, the Kingdom’s official Founding Day emblems tell a deeper story: of survival in a harsh landscape, of state-building against the odds, and of values carried forward across nearly three centuries. Together, they form a visual language that binds past to present and projects confidence into the future.
The five Founding Day symbols — the green flag, the palm tree, the Arabian horse, the souq, and the falcon — do not serve a purely celebratory function, Ismail Abdullah Hejles, a Saudi researcher in traditional architecture, told Arab News. Rather, they carry an intellectual and cultural role that connects society to its roots.
“Nations that understand their symbols and identity understand themselves and are better equipped to continue their journey with confidence and balance,” he said.
The Saudi flag, a representation of unity and sovereignty, embodies the values upon which the state was founded and reflects the continuity of the nation, linking its past to its present. The current design was adopted in 1937, refining historical banners from the first and second Saudi states.
The Shahada, the Islamic declaration of faith, symbolizes the Kingdom’s foundation on Islamic values, while justice and safety are echoed through the sword, which represents the unification of the Kingdom during the reign of the late King Abdulaziz Al-Saud.
The flag’s green color is traditionally associated with Islam, reflecting continuity and faith as central pillars of the Saudi state.
Additionally, the palm tree and the crossed swords — now synonymous with Saudi Arabia — officially appeared in the Kingdom’s emblem around 1950 following unification. Together, they express strength, justice, and the protection of unity.
“The choice was not arbitrary,” Hejles said. “It brought together strength (the sword) and life and sustainability (the palm). It reflects a careful balance of firmness and generosity.”
The palm tree’s symbolic presence, however, predates the modern state, stretching back to the ancient civilizations of the Arabian Peninsula.
“In the simple oases, the palm tree was life, and the swords were dignity. The palm offered shade and sustenance, the swords protected the land and the name. Between the shade of the palm and the edge of the sword, the story of a nation takes place.”
The palm tree served numerous functions essential to the sustainability of civilizations. Its dates were a nutritious food; its fronds were used for roofing; its trunk built walls; its fiber made ropes; and it provided fuel and shade for communities.
In places such as Qatif and Al-Ahsa, the palm formed a complete life system with almost no waste. It was not merely an agricultural symbol, but a genuine model of sustainability long before the term itself was coined, Hejles said.
Mentioned in the Qur’an more than 20 times, always associated with generosity and abundance, the palm formed the backbone of the agricultural economy in eastern Arabia.
“The souq (traditional market) was not merely a place of trade but a space for social interaction, knowledge exchange, and solidarity,” Hejles said. Through it, economic activity flourished and relationships between communities were strengthened.
“Nomads and desert dwellers possessed surplus goods and sought what they lacked through barter.”
A civilizational concept that emerged centuries before Islam, the souq arose from a simple human need: exchange. That exchange generated social mobility and fostered a culture of openness, which later contributed to the rise of cities.
In the pre-Islamic era, seasonal markets such as Souq ‘Ukaz, Souq Majanna, and Souq Dhu Al-Majaz were not only commercial hubs, but also literary forums, political arenas, and spaces for reconciliation and arbitration.
Once Islam was adopted, Souq Al-Madinah was established on principles prohibiting monopoly, forbidding fraud, and ensuring justice.
In the Saudi state, the souq evolved from traditional mud-and-wood covered bazaars into modern shopping centers and large commercial complexes. “Yet, the concept remained the same: a place of encounter before it is a place of sale,” Hejles said.
The Arabian horse, another Founding Day symbol, is associated with authenticity and courage. It accompanied the early stages of state-building, travel, and defense, becoming a symbol of strength and pride in Arab heritage.
The Arabs’ oldest companion, the Arabian horse is one of the oldest and purest breeds in the world. It was bred on the Arabian Peninsula for extreme endurance, speed, and agility.
Thanks to their lung capacity, endurance, and strong feet and bones, these horses could cover long distances in harsh desert conditions and survive on minimal resources, sometimes fed only dates and camel’s milk.
To protect them against theft and harsh weather, they were sometimes brought inside family tents, which led to the development of intense bonds with their owners. Arabian horses are known to be fearless and loyal, capable of protecting their masters in battle.
They also possessed a “war-sense,” allowing them to act intelligently in combat, known as well to have a high spirit in battle.
In Saudi Arabia, Arabian horses were vital in travel, trade, and warfare. Today, they symbolize nobility, pride, courage, and honor — reflecting and continuing the Kingdom’s equestrian legacy.
And finally, vigilance, insight, and high ambition are represented by the falcon. “It is tied to the practice of falconry, which requires patience and skill, and today symbolizes the continuity of heritage and elevated aspirations,” Hejles said.
Falconry was not merely a hobby, but a hunting tool in a harsh desert environment — a companion to the Bedouin and a symbol of strength, precision, and patience. The long training required to master falconry fostered discipline and strong leadership in its practitioners.
Over time, the falcon became associated with prestige and courage, linked to Bedouin identity and nobility, and embedded in poetry and storytelling.
A heritage passed through generations, falconry is now inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, with Saudi Arabia and other participating countries, reinforcing its global cultural significance.
“These symbols were not chosen for their visual appeal,” Hejles said. “They were chosen because they were tested across centuries of lived experience.”
Representing more than their individual images, they are collectively an expression of the Saudi citizen’s relationship with land, environment, dignity, and continuity.
