VZCZCXRO9283
PP RUEHDE
DE RUEHJI #0219 0741146
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 151146Z MAR 06
FM AMCONSUL JEDDAH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8918
INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1307
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 1379
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH PRIORITY 6270
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS JEDDAH 000219 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
RIYADH, PLEASE PASS TO DHAHRAN; DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARPI; 
PARIS FOR ZEYA; LONDON FOR TSOU 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON ELAB KISL KWMN PREL SA SCUL SOCI
SUBJECT: JEDDAH JOURNAL 8:  SAUDI SOCIETY MAGAZINE, NEW 
JOBS FOR WOMEN, AND IDB PROVIDES GRANT TO ISLAMIC SCHOOL IN 
U.S. 
 
 SOPHISTICATED NEW SOCIETY MAGAZINE IN SAUDI ARABIA 
 
¶1.  Recently launched society magazine "Layalina" has been 
causing quite a stir in Jeddah over the last few weeks. 
Owned by a Kuwaiti publisher, managed by a French editor, and 
printed in Riyadh, the magazine's glossy photos of women 
without abayas and head scarves is groundbreaking for the 
Kingdom.  Now on its fourth issue, the magazine is primarily 
a collection of photographs featuring prominent royalty, hip 
upper-class Saudis, and the occasional foreigner (including 
the Consul General) at society events, restaurants and 
business gatherings.  According to managing editor Pascale 
Dimas, 15,000 copies of "Layalina" are distributed in Jeddah 
each month, with another 25,000 available in Riyadh.  "You 
cannot imagine how positive all of the feedback has been," 
said Dimas.  "I have not yet heard anything negative." 
Consulate contacts indicate, however, that some conservatives 
have objected to the (for Saudi Arabia) risqu portrayal of 
couples in public and the "revealing" photographs of women. 
 
JOBS FOR WOMEN 
 
¶2.  Recently Hyper Panda supermarkets, owned by SAVOLA Group, 
on of the Kingdom's largest companies, published job 
announcements in Arabic newspapers for Saudi females only. 
Applicants are being sought for jobs including: Marketing 
Specialist, Women's Apparel Supervisor, and Sales Women and 
Security Guard.  An interesting set of basic qualifications 
are specified in the advertisements, including: 
a.  Able to work evening shifts 
b.  Age not less than 25 years 
c.  Commitment to Shari'a and Islamic virtues 
d.  Approval of male guardian 
e.  Priority will be given to widows. 
 
JOBS FOR WOMEN IN ENTERTAINMENT 
 
¶3.  The Consulate General has learned about a new career 
attracting young Saudi females in Jeddah:  Disc Jockey at 
women-only parties.  Weddings, birthdays and graduation 
parties are examples of the women-only events that female 
DJ's can work.  Up to the last two years, there were hardly 
any Saudis, men or women, working in this field, now there 
are at least 10 young women performing at these events. 
These women were trained by Egyptian, Moroccan or Lebanese 
DJ's who used to dominate this field.  Now, there is even a 
Saudi instructor training new female DJ's and charging them 
SR 5000 for the training course. 
 
IDB PROVIDES SUPPORT FOR ISLAMIC SCHOOL IN RHODE ISLAND 
 
¶4.  The Islamic Development Bank (IDB) recently notified the 
Consulate General that its Board of Executive Directors has 
approved a grant for 295,000 USD towards the purchase of a 
building for the Islamic School of Rhode Island, in West 
Warwick. 
Gfoeller