Every year on February 22, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia pauses to commemorate Founding Day, a national occasion that honours the birth of the first Saudi state nearly three centuries ago. This year’s holiday, officially declared a paid public holiday for workers in the public, private and non-profit sectors, will once again spotlight Saudi Arabia’s deep historical roots, cultural heritage and national pride as it looks back on a remarkable journey from a desert oasis to a modern and globally connected nation.
At the heart of Founding Day is the remembrance of Muhammad bin Saud, who in 1727 assumed leadership of Diriyah and laid the foundation for the first Saudi political entity. That early moment marked the beginning of the Saud dynasty’s enduring statehood, setting in motion centuries of unification, governance and development across the Arabian Peninsula. While Saudi National Day (September 23) celebrates the modern unification of the Kingdom under King Abdulaziz in 1932, Founding Day goes deeper into the historical bedrock that first brought political cohesion and identity to the region.
