Here’s Everything That You Need To Know About The Founding Day Before Heading Out For The Festivities
Everyone’s excited for the four-day vacation they get, courtesy of the government and some private sector employers, but do you know what the day is about? You probably know the background of the Saudi National Day, but what about the Founding Day? Maybe not? Well, the kingdom just started officially celebrating it last year, so it’s fully understandable.
Initially, historians traced the foundations of the Saudi state back to 1744. However, new research indicates that it actually predates that date by 17 years.
There is little question that the events of 1744, the year in which Imam Mohammed ibn Saud of Diriyah gave Sheikh Mohammed ibn Abdulwahhab, a religious reformer, asylum, were of enormous significance. But Imam Mohammed ibn Saud ascended to the throne in 1727.
#DYK ? In this ‘Carte de Dreiye,’ the oldest-known map of #Diriyah, drawn by Joseph Rousseau, a French diplomat in 1808, the historic UNESCO-listed district of At-Turaif on the Wadi Hanifah is recorded as ‘El Tereif.’#SaudiFoundingDay #FranceKSA 🇫🇷💚🇸🇦 pic.twitter.com/O16JN0rMdp
— Ludovic Pouille (@ludovic_pouille) February 22, 2022
According to a story in the Arab News, the Foundation Day celebrations were thus launched in order to dispel this long-standing myth.
So why February 22nd? Well, it’s very difficult to pinpoint an exact date, but by most accounts, Imam Mohammed ibn Saud ascended to the throne in the early part of the year, so that’s how the 22nd of February came to be.
On #FoundingDay, we celebrate the birth of the First Saudi State and pay tribute to our ancestors who built our modern Kingdom. pic.twitter.com/SdpMmFUmkU
— يوم التأسيس (@SAFoundingDay) February 14, 2023
Now that you know, go enjoy it to the fullest, especially those lucky ones with the four-day weekend. If your employer is just giving a day off on the 22nd and not on the 23rd, then you need not worry as Eid holidays are just under 2 months away. Cling on.