Saudi Gazette As Saudi Arabia celebrates the 7th anniversary of King Abdullah's accession to the throne, Saudi young men and women in particular will be marking the occassion with extreme delight. Their love for the King is understandable given all the reforms and bold initiatives he has put in place to benefit the Kingdom's youth. Speaking to the Saudi Gazette, many young men and women spoke highly about King Abdullah's qualities of compassion, benevolence and love for his people. They made particular references to the recent programs of Hafiz and Nitaqat as well the job-creating scholarship program. Without exception all the youngsters we spoke to pledged their sincere and heart-felt loyalty and allegiance to the King. Muhammad Ahmad, 34, said: “There are no words to express my sincere feelings about the King, who represents the pulse of the Kingdom and its people. The hearts of Saudi people beat within the heart of Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, their humanitarian King.”Similarly Faisal Maarouf, 27, said that he struggled to find the words to express the great qualities of King Abdullah. “The best proof of this is that the King used to express his warm and affectionate feelings toward his people on almost all occasions, especially during the celebration of the National Day every year,” he said.Suleiman Al-Hamdan, 17, also had many good things to say about the King. “How can I express my gratitude to the King for his righteous deeds? I pray sincerely to safeguard our beloved King,” he said.Echoing the same sentiments, 20-year-old Jumana said: “We are always in a jubilant mood on the anniversary of King Abdullah's accession to the throne. It's similar to the joy we feel on other great celebrations like Eid and the National Day.” Anfal Al-Tuwaireqi, 24, chose to focus on the unprecedented progress and prosperity the Kingdom has enjoyed since King Abdullah's accession to the throne seven years ago. “The employment generating programs like Hafiz, Nitaqat and the expansion of the scholarship program have all contributed substantially in addressing the unemployment problem.” Rima Hani, 27, shared similar views: “Ever since King Abdullah's accession to the throne, Saudi people have placed great hope and optimism on him. I'm sure this is because of his continuous efforts to ease the burden of his people.” Hossam Naif, 22, told Saudi Gazette that King Abdullah's reign has been a glorious period. “I can say without any doubt that the King has spearheaded a massive development boom. He has filled the hearts of the people with joy with all the projects he has initiated to protect their welfare,” he said.According to Naif, Saudi people do not need any occasions like the anniversary of accession or National Day or festivals to show their love and respect to their beloved king. “We pledge our allegiance and loyalty to the king every day, and we manifest this by displaying his pictures on our vehicles, shops, houses and even on our mobile screens. Moreover, we sincerely pray for him. This is the best proof of our love to the King. He is not only a King but also a father for us.” __
