BEIRUT LETTER
Saudi lovebirds are now celebrating. And the rose, chocolate and teddy bear merchants in Riyadh and Jeddah too. Long illicit, Valentine's Day is now openly celebrated in Saudi Arabia.
On February 14, flower shops in the kingdom's major cities were topped with bouquets of red roses, and many cafes and restaurants offered special arrangements for couples looking for romance, with a menu, atmosphere – and prices – brought up to date. day. An emblematic evolution of the social changes driven by Mohammed Ben Salman, known as "MBS", the country's crown prince and strongman, determined to dust off the image of Saudi Arabia, to attract foreign investment there.
contradictions
"Sales are much higher than in previous years, a flower seller from Jeddah told Al-Arabiya, the Saudi-owned pan-Arab chain controlled by the crown. The environment is more favorable for Valentine's Day, things are changing quickly. " "Celebrating this holiday is no longer a problem, rejoices a thirty-something from Riyadh, who works in a cultural foundation close to power. Most stores have started it. I’ve even seen restaurants distributing roses to their customers. "
A plethora of articles on the subject appeared in the English-language daily Arab news, a storefront for the new Saudi Arabia promoted by Mohammed Ben Salman, the man with two faces who allowed the Saudis to drive and travel freely, while imprisoning many feminist activists. The newspaper, little concerned with these contradictions, published a guide to the most beautiful romantic getaways, the tables most conducive to romantic transport and the gifts most sought after by "him" or "her".
The opportunity to once again praise the beauties of Al-Ula, the ancient site in the north of the country, being transformed into an international tourist destination, and to advertise some expensive trinkets: an electronic box at soft tickets, at 110 euros; earrings at 740 euros; a watch at 1,400 euros… The high-end version of the super nunuche heart-shaped balloon and the all-red “teddy bear”… Index of Saudi Arabia's cultural “normalization” and commercial windfall, Valentine's Day is the perfect vehicle for the ambitions of the Saudi number two.
