When is Foundation Day?
Foundation Day, or Founding Day, is an official public holiday in Saudi Arabia on February 22nd each year.
The holiday was created in 2022 to commemorate the foundation of the first Saudi state named Diriyah, by Imam Mohammad Bin Saud. Although he rose to power in 1727, the establishment of the first Saudi state took place in 1977.
In 1727, through an alliance with religious scholar Mohammad bin Abdul Wahab, the emirate of Diriyah was born as the first amongst three Saudi states. It was the determination of Imam Mohammed in 1727 to transform the city-state into a nation-state, bringing peace and unity to the wider Arabian Peninsula, that two centuries later culminated in the foundation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The Keeper of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, had issued a royal decree which approved February 22nd of each year as an official holiday, to celebrate the founding of the Saudi state, under the name of “Foundation Day”.
Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, Ing. Ahmed Al-Rajhi, confirmed that the royal order for foundation day to be an official holiday is for both the public and private sectors.
History of Foundation Day
In 1446, Manaa' Al-Muraide, leader of the Marada clan of the Al-Duru tribe of the Banu Hanifah, led his people inland from their home near Qatif on the Gulf Coast at the invitation of his cousin, Ibn Dir, the ruler of Hajr — modern-day Riyadh.
Wadi Hanifah, where they settled and where the city of Diriyah would later rise, was named after the Banu Hanifah.
However, its fall in 1818 led to the modern Kingdom as we know it today amid the re-establishment of the state with a new capital, known as Riyadh. Sifting between dynasties and wars, 1932 oversaw the complete reign of King Abdulaziz, who established the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in its entirety.
The significance of the year 1727 in the story of Saudi Arabia has become ever more apparent in the light of extensive research carried out by historians and archaeologists.
In 2010, such work led to the At-Turaif district of Diriyah, the birthplace of the nation, being inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List as a site of “outstanding universal value.”
Founding Day is not intended to replace Saudi National Day (September 23rd), which celebrates the unification of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1932, but rather to recognize the beginning of the Saudi state’s history with a new event that celebrates the deep historical roots of the Kingdom.
How is Foundation Day Celebrated?
Saudi citizens have broadened their celebrations of Founding Day since it became an official holiday, extending festivities from local art and music to both private and public sector activities.
In the first edition in 2022, celebrations included fireworks and aerial drone shows, as well as celebrations through concerts like those from “Founding Operetta.”
At the time the National Museum also hosted majlis events to celebrate both the history and culture of the Kingdom.
Since then, Founding Day celebrations have blossomed. 2023 honored the holiday through iconic events like the Founding Day Historical March and immersive activities exploring traditional clothing, music, and food.
According to the official tourism platform Visit Saudi, activities that celebrate heritage sites and natural attractions are at the core of understanding the Kingdom’s history, its journey thus far, and the direction it is moving.
