Official Visit To Saudi Arabia - January 2004

[Dennism]

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[karolinabraganza]

[moby]

victoria is like the female version of her father!

[Dennism]

Nice photos, Lena.

[paulette]

Great pictures!

I think the royal who had the most number of international travels last year hopefully this year also is CP Victoria. She went various places in a week. She is indeed very sincere and hardworking. I would like to praise her for that.
She doesn't think of all the sacrifices she has to do. She is indeed an example to a lot of royals and even non-royals to be sincere and to voice out what we stand for provided that we have our freedom to speak but in a right way.

Loved her purse.

[Humera]

This was the first time I believe that so many women dominated the economic forum. I hope the trend continues and the Saudis lighten up a bit.
Their supression of women is a disgrace to Islam and I wish more Muslims would speak out against it.

[Dennism]

"Their supression of women is a disgrace to Islam and I wish more Muslims would speak out against it."

Yes, especially when you consider that these attitudes towards women have nothing to do with Islam and in many ways are anti-Islamic.

Crown Princess Victoria walks with the Saudi Minister of Industry and Electricity, Ghazi al-Kusaibi

[hrhcp]

any news of D2 ?

are V and D2 still an item ?

[Dennism]

BBC

"Saudi Arabia's highest religious authority has issued a stern rebuke to women who appeared at a conference unveiled in the presence of men.

Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul-Aziz al-Sheikh said the women's behaviour was shameful and warned of "grave consequences".

His remarks came after the country's leading businesswoman made a speech without a headscarf at an economic forum in the Red Sea port of Jeddah.

Lubna al-Olayan used the speech to call for female empowerment in the kingdom.

She said it was essential for Saudi Arabia's economic wellbeing for the potential of the country's female workforce to be unlocked.

"Without real change there can be no real progress," she said. "If we in Saudi Arabia want to progress we have no choice but to embrace change."

Her words were echoed by other women delegates.

Resistance to change

The men and women at the conference were separated by a screen, but the women were able to mix with the men in their section - something normally prohibited in Saudi Arabia.

The next day, Saudi newspapers showed pictures of the unveiled women and several editorials spoke of their behaviour as the beginning of the liberation of Saudi women.

But the grand mufti's statement made clear that the religious authorities would fight any change.

"I severely condemn this matter and warn of grave consequences," he said.

"What is even more painful is that such outrageous behaviour should have happened in Saudi Arabia, the land of the two holy shrines (Mecca and Medina)."

The remarks came as the Saudi authorities moved to introduce limited reforms.

Correspondents say the problem now is to continue to keep a lid on the cauldron of competing interests in the Islamic establishment and an increasingly impatient lobby demanding reform without the pressure boiling over into serious unrest. "

[Bubbette]

This is truly an amazing event. Here's another story on it--note the leading cleric is blind--just because he can't see the women, no one else should be able to? :) http://sg.news.yahoo.com/040121/1/3hf5q.html

"Pictures of women without the veil should not be published," he told AFP. "We need to go step-by-step. These things make it difficult for the government to make changes."

A delegation of Islamic sheikhs led by a blind cleric attended Wednesday's audience with the crown prince and petitioned him against the events in Jeddah.

[moody]

Oh!Yes they can arrest her!!! The second minute after they think to do so,they can kiss good bye to VOLVOcars,SAAB machines,their water pumpers.and petroleum would stay to make company with other minerals inthe center of the earth for the next 2000 years!!!

[Angel S.]

Originally posted by moody@Jan 24th, 2004 - 1:41 pm
Oh!Yes they can arrest her!!! The second minute after they think to do so,they can kiss good bye to VOLVOcars,SAAB machines,their water pumpers.and petroleum would stay to make company with other minerals inthe center of the earth for the next 2000 years!!!

It's good to be the Queen...or in this case the Crown Princess! :P

[mixer2002de]

Originally posted by moody@Jan 24th, 2004 - 1:41 pm
Oh!Yes they can arrest her!!! The second minute after they think to do so,they can kiss good bye to VOLVOcars,SAAB machines,their water pumpers.and petroleum would stay to make company with other minerals inthe center of the earth for the next 2000 years!!!

German Companies would be glad to replace them. So the would drive VW, BMW and Mercedes instead.

Anyway do you think that Vic would dare to travel to Saudi Arabia now!

[Josefine]

do you know if she met any other royals while she was there

[mirsada]

I would think that she got the protocal about what was expected of her as far as dress in Saudi Arabia. I know that the kingdom had a problem in the 90's with female soliders not being covered up. Maybe if she had gone outside of Riyadh and Jeddah she would of had to cover her head.