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. (SPA)
