Muhammad Ba Khraiba, who was the Goodwill Ambassador and representative of Saudi Arabia at the world conference for the Goodwill Ambassadors from over 200 countries in Naples, Italy, poses for a photo with a participant.Saudi Gazette Most westerners, who have never been to Saudi Arabia, think that the country is a vast desert, and nothing else. A young Saudi engineer is gradually changing this image and showing other cultures how rich the Kingdom is in its culture, history, art, and its unprecedented technological and educational development. Not many foreigners are aware of the tremendous changes witnessed by Saudi Arabia over the last 20 years. For example, in 1990 the literacy rate for adult males was 73% and today it is 85%, with similar improvements in female literacy and education rate. The capital city that might have been a desert 30 years ago is a major metropolitan city today with soaring skyscrapers. Muhammad Ba Khraiba was the Goodwill Ambassador and representative of Saudi Arabia at the world conference for the Goodwill Ambassadors from over 200 countries. The conference held in Naples, Italy was a forum for cultural exchange, cross-cultural communication, and bridging the social gaps between the different nations. The conference fostered better understanding and conquered the false stereotypes surrounding the countries that most people know very little about. With his magnetic smile and friendly personality, Muhammad Ba Khraiba unveiled through a documentary to the audience much about Saudi culture and what the country really looks like today. Ba Khraiba wore the traditional Saudi thobe and ghutra during the conference. Many were surprised and impressed with the traditional Saudi dress, their deep family ties and wide social networks, strong sense of responsibility and connection toward extended relatives, and the famous Arab generosity. In the interviews that Ba Khraiba conducted with a number of people before his presentation, the common answer he got to his question of what they knew about Saudi Arabia was: “It's mainly a desert and is rich in oil.” After Ba Khraiba's presentation, many members of the audience crowded around him to compliment him, take pictures with him, and ask lots of questions. Ba Khraiba blames the international media for portraying and reproducing such stereotypical messages that are far from the truth. He also thinks that it is the duty of each individual to explain his culture and to behave and speak in a manner that will show the true Islamic and Arab traditions. __
