Saudi Gazette reports that a public opinion survey in Saudi Arabia strongly approves of the role of ‘National Dialogue’. The King Abdulaziz Center for National Dialogue commissioned a survey to see what the public thought of it and its mission and is rather pleased with the results.

The article mentions that the Center will be building a ‘three-tower’ headquarters complex in Riyadh. I’m not sure that’s really necessary. That money could be better spent in commissioning, publishing, and distributing media explaining the virtues and utility of dialogue, I believe. While the Center and its activities have reached hundreds of thousands of Saudis, there are over 16 million Saudis. Many of those millions could use an awakening into the realities of the globe in this 21st C.

Natl. Dialogue Center wins majority Saudi approval
Mohamed Al-Ghamdi

RIYADH – An overwhelming majority of Saudis surveyed in the Kingdom approve of the role the King Abdulaziz Center for National Dialogue has been playing in promoting the culture of dialogue in Saudi society.

A team of social science research scholars from a number of universities in the Kingdom conducted the study that revealed 78 percent of Saudis knew about the center, established some five years ago on the directives of King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. Around 21.8 percent said they did not know about the center, the study revealed.
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October:27:2009 - 10:28 | Comments & Trackbacks (1) | Permalink
One Response to “Saudis: ‘It Is Good to Talk’”
  1. 1
    Chiara Said:
    October:27:2009 - 20:11 

    Ah, at first I thought the title was suggesting efforts to de-stigmatize psychiatry/psychotherapy. However, I am very much impressed by the National Dialogue initiative. If, as the article states, the 3 towers will generate revenue for the institute perhaps it is best to have a central headquarters. I appreciated too that women and youth are the primary focus for the first year.

    John–off topic. I did a post on Tara’s blog on the topic of Blogging & Ethics which links your blog. I would love to have you comment on what I think is an important topic. I hope to see you over there:

    http://taraummomar.blogspot.com/2009/10/blogging-ethics-part-i-fhws-elsi.html

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