For the thousands of Saudis, particularly youth, the National Day was not just a festive occasion; they used the various events to express their solidarity with the country's leadership. The huge turnout for the National Day events at various public places here has demonstrated that Saudis have unquestionable loyalty for to King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and his wise economic policies. Patriotic Saudis started pouring in on the streets Thursday evening itself, a day before the country's 81st National Day and that continued through Saturday, although the festivities organized by government agencies on several designated places were for one day only. Patriotic sloganeering Ecstatic Saudi youth raised patriotic slogans in chorus such as Long live King Abdullah, King Abdullah we love you and your policies, and Ya Abu Mit'eb, we have trust in you and your economic policies. Abdullah Al-Asiri, a Saudi youth speaking to Saudi Gazette, said the Kingdom has been enjoying prosperity under the wise leadership of King Abdullah and his economic reforms aimed at well-being of Saudi citizens. “We are unperturbed with what's going on in the region. We have full faith in the country's leadership and its economic policies,” said Asiri. Asiri's friend Abdullah Shamary, a university student, said the Kingdom has an unprecedented National Day celebration this year, which is a message to the world that Saudi Arabia is on the path of progress under the country's wise leadership. “We will prove to the world that Saudi Arabia and its citizens are peace-loving people who also want peace in other countries, regional and international,” he said. There are many initiatives that King Abdullah has taken both in the national and international interest, he said. Just to mention a few are the Saudi monarch's economic reforms adopted for the well-being and prosperity of the citizens while King Abdullah's interfaith dialogue initiative ushered in a new era of universality that promotes peace and amity among people of different faiths. Muhammad Imad, a Lebanese expatriate, said he has been in the Kingdom for the past 10 years and the festive mood expressed by Saudis on their 81st National Day celebration was something unprecedented. “It has been really astonishing to see the patriotic feelings of Saudis, who are otherwise engaged in daily routine activities mostly centered on their families,” he said. __
