VZCZCXRO2197
OO RUEHDH RUEHROV
DE RUEHRH #0224/01 0551425
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 241425Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY RIYADH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2538
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHDH/AMCONSUL DHAHRAN PRIORITY 0504
RUEHJI/AMCONSUL JEDDAH PRIORITY 0622

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 RIYADH 000224 
 
CODEL 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP JHARRIS AND JBERNDT AND NEA/PPD; 
NEA/DRL JLIEBERMAN AND S/GWI FOR DKELLY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KDEM KISL KOCI KPAO PGOV PPD PREL SA
SUBJECT: CODEL LOWEY AND SAUDI VICE MINISTER OF EDUCATION 
DISCUSS KACND'S ROLE IN KING'S REFORM EFFORTS 
 
REF: A. 10 RIYADH 172 
     ¶B. 09 RIYADH 1012 
 
RIYADH 00000224  001.2 OF 005 
 
 
SUMMARY 
-------- 
 
¶1. (U) During a February 14 visit to the National Dialogue 
Center (KACND) CODEL Lowey was briefed on its primary goal of 
combating extremism by promoting dialogue and exchanges of 
differing points of view among Saudis.  On the role of women 
the Center's Director explained the SAG privatization 
strategy to increase jobs for women and asserted that "social 
boundaries" prevented women from driving and that it was not 
a "high priority" for Saudi women.  The Director also 
outlined comprehensive education reforms (known as the 
"Tatweer" development program), including increasing math and 
science content of primary and secondary curriculums, aimed 
at improving critical thinking skills.  End summary. 
 
 
CODEL LOWEY VISIT TO NATIONAL DIALOGUE CENTER 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) On February 14 CODEL Lowey met with Saudi Arabia's 
Vice Minister of Education and Secretary General of the King 
Abdulaziz Center for National Dialogue (KACND), Dr. Faisal 
Bin Moammar, to discuss KACND's role in King Abdullah's 
reform efforts.  The convivial two-hour meeting, which was 
attended by Saudi officials active in education development 
and planning, took place at KACND and covered a wide variety 
of topics, foremost among them the purpose of and vision for 
KACND.  The meeting between CODEL Lowey and Dr. Bin Moammar 
began with expressions of appreciation concerning the CODEL's 
visit to KACND, introductions of the participants and an 
explanation of their activities.  On the U.S. side, a 
delegation headed by Congresswoman Nita Lowey included 
members of the House Appropriations Committee, the Commission 
on Security and Cooperation in Europe, the House Energy and 
Commerce Committee, the House Armed Services Committee, the 
House Ways and Means Committee and the House Transportation 
and Infrastructure Committee attended the meeting.  Saudi 
participants included delegates active in education 
development and planning, among them Dr. Nair Al-Roomi, 
Deputy Minister of Education for Development and Planning; 
Dr. Ali Al-Hakami, General Manager of the Education 
Development Project; Dr. Hanan Al-Ahmadi, Director of the 
Institute of Public Administration; Ms. Jenan Al-Ahmad, 
Director of the Female Department in the Education 
Development Project; and Dr. Bandar Al- Sowailem, Secretary 
General of the National Committee for UNICEF. 
 
¶3. (U) At the outset of the meeting Chairwoman Lowey stressed 
that the U.S. had "great hope for Saudi Arabia's continued 
leadership" in the region and the world but that there were 
challenges the SAG had to face, including Iran and the 
Israel-Palestinian issue. 
 
 
KACND'S MISSION: PROMOTE DIALOGUE TO FIGHT EXTREMISM 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶4. (U) KACND's Secretary General, Faisal Bin Moammar, 
explained that KACND was an independent organization that was 
part of the Kingdom's civil society.  Established six years 
ago and working with mosques, schools and families to promote 
the skill of dialogue, a skill that was lacking in Saudi 
society according to Bin Moammar, it was hoped that KACND 
would reach eight million people within the next three years. 
 Bin Moammar said KACND was the King's best method for 
fighting extremism in that it was building bridges between 
decision makers and society.  Saudi Arabia was "at the heart 
of Islam" with the two holiest places of Islam located in the 
country and with 1 billion 500 million Muslims looking to 
Saudi Arabia, and therefore change needed to come from within 
Saudi Arabia, he said.  He further noted that Saudi Arabia 
was "the only country in which the government initiated 
change and society resisted it." 
 
¶5. (U) The delegation watched a promotional video according 
to which KACND's objective was to "unite Saudis under one 
roof" by facilitating the expression of views and enabling 
the hearing of other points of view through a series of 
national dialogues to "spread the culture of dialogue, 
tolerance and mediation."  Eight national dialogues have 
taken place to date, organized according to themes, the video 
 
RIYADH 00000224  002.2 OF 005 
 
 
mentioned.  While the first national dialogue meeting was 
limited to male participation, subsequently, men and women 
have participated, and the national dialogues have been 
transmitted via television ever since the fourth dialogue. 
Teachers, professors, youths, religious leaders, and the 
private and other diverse sectors participated in the 
dialogues and on-line feedback concerning the dialogues is 
encouraged, according to the video.  Noting that the family 
was the birthplace of communication skills, the video stated 
that KACND targeted changing the culture of dialogue at that 
level and worked through seminars that stressed Islamic 
beliefs, including the peaceful coexistence of cultures and 
societies.  Further, KACND targeted youth as future leaders. 
King Abdullah is directly involved in the seminars, and 
journalists and various segments of society participate. 
KACND has 1,200 trainers, according to the video. 
 
¶6. (U) Congressman Chandler of Kentucky asked how KACND's 
mission was viewed in the broader Islamic world.  Bin Moammar 
responded that KACND was a "unique experience" not available 
elsewhere in the Islamic world.  He said that although there 
had been dialogues elsewhere, "nobody else had a program of 
trying to reach the mass of the people."  He explained that 
KACND was working with the Islamic League and other 
countries, and that most recently UNESCO Beirut had requested 
a train-the-trainer program, that would result in training 
efforts in Syria and Jordan further down the line.  Bin 
Moammar said Johns-Hopkins University had endorsed the 
training program. 
 
 
TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION IN COMMUNICATION 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶7. (U) Congressman Whitfield of Kentucky asked how the Qur'an 
determined a young woman's ability to work or to get a 
divorce and who had the authority to make these decisions 
about her life.  Dr. Bin Moammar said that the Ulema or 
religious leaders handled problems through existing fatwas. 
He stressed the importance of traditions in Saudi Arabia 
based on which the majority of families conducted their 
social lives.  Bin Moammar said the SAG was using education 
and the media to reform the traditions and had succeeded in 
"fighting many negative aspects." 
 
¶8. (U) Dr. Hind Al-Khalifa of King Saud University said that 
Islam was a lifestyle covering all issues and that the Qur'an 
set forth all aspects of justice and guided communications 
with others.  She observed that a problem existed with the 
interpretation (interception) of the text and the educational 
level of some of the interpreters of the text.  She explained 
that KACND's training was based on Islamic aspects as well. 
She had participated in a program that involved a dialogue 
with Satan and the Prophet in which God talked to both.  She 
said the program taught her that, as neither the Prophet nor 
Satan but someone in the middle, she should feel free to 
talk.  Dr. Al-Khalifa said that the training also raised her 
awareness of the importance of listening and of the need to 
give people space to talk.  She said the realization of the 
fact that society was in need of this awareness was one of 
the successes of KACND.  Lastly, she attributed the fact that 
children of well-known families were involved in terrorism to 
the lack of dialogue in society. 
 
¶9. (U) Hammam Al-Juraied, head the Youth Committee, said 
KACND empowered youth by giving them a voice.  He recalled 
that the Sixth National Dialogue related to youth issues and 
resulted in recommendations from King Abdullah, as a result 
of which a dialogue cafe and an Ambassador program had been 
established. KACND's youth groups help organize events and 
seminars and guided by trainers, they had recently started 
holding open discussions in malls to engage youth.  She said 
that training was also being conducted in small towns and 
villages.  Yasser Al Fraih, a member of KACND's youth 
committee, said the young Ambassadors program promoted 
dialogue and cleared up misconceptions without losing the 
local identity in the process. 
 
 
KACND'S MEASURE OF SUCCESS 
-------------------------- 
 
¶10. (U) Representative Hastings of Florida noted that he had 
been to many meetings where nothing happened afterwards, 
so-called "feel good sessions," and wanted to know how KACND 
 
RIYADH 00000224  003.2 OF 005 
 
 
was measuring whether it had achieved anything.  Bin Moammar 
said KACND identified issues in an annual report to the King, 
who pursued the issues through follow-up with various offices 
and departments.  According to Bin Moammar the annual study 
confirmed how much had been achieved and KACND changed its 
tools based on the study.  He stressed that a "silent 
majority" was the best weapon for fighting extremism and said 
that extremist ideas were shrinking in society.  Bin Moammar 
said that training people in the "skill of dialogue" was 
KACND's most important objective because it prepared people 
to become part of the decision-making process. 
 
¶11. (U) Dr. Amal Al-Moallimi, a trainer for KACND, added that 
KACND's objective was to make people more tolerant.  She 
thought it was impossible to change the reality on the ground 
except through the power of the word.  She compared KACND's 
work to President Obama's "yes, we can" campaign, which 
helped him become the first African-American president in 
history, according to her. 
 
¶12. (U) Dr. Al-Ahmadi said that the dialogue had changed the 
culture and had become a successful program to fight and 
prevent terrorism.  She noted that the number of terrorist 
incidents had been significantly reduced.  Moreover, she 
said, children had started to tell their parents that they 
needed to have a discussion prior to making a decision. 
Previous generations had been raised with a different 
attitude, according to Al-Ahmadi, but the culture of dialogue 
had created an actual change in society. 
 
 
MORE WOMEN GRADUATES IN GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESS 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶13. (U) Pointing out the greater role women were beginning to 
assume in Saudi society, Bin Moammar joked about the "female 
domination" of KACND.  Chairwoman Lowey responded that "good, 
strong women could make an amazing change in the world," and 
mentioned that she had heard that 60 percent of the 
university students in Saudi Arabia were women.  She asked 
where the graduates would end up working and what the 
percentages were of female graduates going into business, 
academia, and other sectors.  She also wanted to know whether 
there was a glass ceiling for women.  Dr. Hanan Al-Ahmadi, 
Director of the Institute for Public Administration, 
addressed the question stating that she did not have 
statistics but that women graduates mainly worked in 
education.  She said that 65 percent of the graduate students 
were women and ended up in academia and the health 
professions.  As a result of the Saudi Arabian Government's 
privatization strategy, more women were moving into the 
government and private, entrepreneurial sectors, Dr. 
Al-Ahmadi further explained.  Private foundations supported 
this trend and 4,000 women received management training 
annually, according to her.  However, according to Al-Ahmedi, 
a barrier to certain professions that are not "convenient for 
women, such as engineering," existed. 
 
 
PLEASE DON'T MEASURE ME BY WHETHER I AM DRIVING 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶14. (U) Representative Stearns of Florida asked whether the 
Saudi Arabian government (SAG) had plans to allow women to 
drive.  He said he appreciated the attempts being made to 
help women succeed, including the construction of 
universities for women, but noted that if Saudi women were to 
compare their situation with that of Western women, they 
would find dramatic differences in terms of the amount of 
individual freedom granted.  Bin Moammar responded by joking 
about his wife, who according to him, was a lousy driver who 
narrowly escaped two accidents and noted that he did not want 
her to drive again.  He said that people resisted copying the 
culture of the West, which did not match Saudi beliefs and 
could not be "tuned" to Saudi culture.  He explained there 
were social boundaries regarding women driving and that women 
themselves did not regard driving as a high priority.  There 
was a dialogue on women's issues in Medina in which the women 
did not even raise driving as one of the issues as they had 
"more important issues," according to Bin Moammar.  Moreover, 
he said, the Guardian of the Two Holy Mosques had emphasized 
that any change in Saudi Arabia would be looked to as a model 
by other countries in the region.  (NOTE: women are allowed 
to drive in all other countries in the region.  End note). 
Therefore, any proposed changed would need to be thoroughly 
 
RIYADH 00000224  004.2 OF 005 
 
 
analyzed and examined for conformity with existing 
traditions, according to Bin Moammar 
 
¶15. (U) Director of the Institute of Public Administration 
Dr. Al-Ahmadi concurred that Saudi society did not support 
women's driving.  She said that although Bedouin women did 
drive, society as a whole "resisted Western recipes for 
change" and asked not to "be measured by whether she was 
driving."  She personally wanted the right to drive but said: 
"please look beyond it."  Dr. Ali Al-Khashban of the General 
Authority for Tourism and Antiquities said that KACND 
obtained results in getting society to accept change, noting 
that "Western culture was around us everywhere."  Dr. Tamador 
Al-Ramah of King Saud University said that what was unique 
about KACND was that it respected women who did not want to 
mix with men or reveal their faces and "did not exclude them 
from being part of the country's future vision."  He 
elaborated on the conveniences that derived from having a 
chauffeur, including not having to find parking or 
maintaining the car.  Chairwoman Lowey responded that most 
would be happy with chauffeurs, but questioned how women 
without the means to hire one would get around.  Dr. 
Al-Khashban then conceded that allowing women to drive was "a 
step we want to take" and he was sure it would come soon. 
 
 
MOE'S CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT PROJECT: DRAMATIC CHANGE AHEAD 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
 
¶16. (U) The CODEL also listened to formal presentations from 
Dr. Naif Al-Roomi, Deputy Minister of Education, and Dr. Ali 
Alhakami, General Manager the Development Project at the 
Ministry of Education.  Dr. Al-Roomi gave an overview of the 
MOE's curriculum development project involving the 
development of the primary and secondary education system and 
a math and science project.  According to Dr. Al-Roomi, the 
new emphasis in education is on communication and dialogue. 
He explained that the primary and secondary education system 
project aimed at greatly reducing the number of subjects 
studied and that overall the MOE was moving away from 
subdividing subjects.  For example for Arabic, students would 
study one rather than five books previously studied.  For the 
development of the secondary education system project, 
students would study seven courses rather than 21 courses. 
Moreover, students would acquire life, labor market, and 
health skills in the newly revised curriculum, according to 
Dr. Al-Roomi.  It is envisioned that the curriculum project 
will generate a "dramatic change" two years from now, Dr. 
Al-Roomi said.  He also mentioned that a new English course 
content using the McGraw-Hill series had been selected and 
that math and science changes based on international 
standards were to be implemented this year.  All-in-all, 
there would be a dramatic new curriculum for grades 1 through 
12, he said. 
 
¶17. (U) Dr. Bin Moammar said that Saudi Arabia's school 
system had five million students, 425,000 teachers, and 
30,000 schools.  Of these, 75 percent were government-built 
and the remainder rentals, according to Dr. Bin Moammar.  He 
further noted that 54 percent of the teachers were females. 
 
 
TATWEER PROGRAM MOVING KINGDOM TO NEW FRONTIERS 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶18. (U) According to Dr. Al-Roomi, the Tatweer program is a 
"21st Century model of learning that defines goals for the 
educational system."  Its aims are to produce critical 
thinkers and problem solvers, to promote flexibility, 
adaptability innovation and creativity, and to achieve 
recognition of the fact that the country was not living in 
isolation, Dr. Al-Roomi said.  It is one of the components of 
the King's vision and will be moving Saudi Arabia to new 
frontiers, he noted.  Saudi Arabia is aiming to become one of 
the world's top ten economies and students needed to be 
prepared to become members of the international community, 
Al-Roomi stated.  Saudi Arabia is one of the countries with 
the highest population growth in the world and the 
educational budget is growing, according to Dr. Al-Roomi.  In 
order to take the country to the future and to meet the 
demands for a skilled work force, a focus on quality and a 
system of educational standards was needed that would combine 
school services in a partnership with the wider community to 
"achieve excellence for all," he explained.  The new 
educational system is to emphasize quality of learning, 
 
RIYADH 00000224  005.2 OF 005 
 
 
achievement, sustainable educational development, and 
openness to international best practices, he said. 
 
 
NATIONAL COMMITTEE FOR CHILDHOOD: STRATEGIC PLAN 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶19. (U) Dr. Bandar Al Sowailem, Secretary General of the 
National Committee for UNICEF, said the National Committee 
for Childhood was moving into a new phase, with increased 
resources for the Commission, a new building, and a strategic 
plan to cover the needs of all children.  According to him, 
the plan consisted of five parts focusing on education, 
health care, social problems, environmental safety, and 
culture and the media.  It further included the creation of a 
civil society, he said.  5,000 children and 4,000 families 
were involved in developing the plan and in making policy 
recommendations, according to Dr. Al Sowailem. 
 
¶20. (U) Dr. Al-Khalifa of King Saud University is 
participating in developing the plan's strategy.  She said 
the plan's  goal was to put children first and to create a 
strategy that maintained a balance between the global and the 
local.  She said children should be looked at as children 
too, and not only as what they would become.  She said 
children needed to be involved in shaping their culture and 
should be part of the strategy.  Noting that children were 
involved with multi-media applications very early, Dr. 
Al-Khalifa said that the strategy also needed to examine the 
effects of the media in the widest sense, not only in terms 
of the educational and social effects. 
 
¶21. (U) Congresswoman Lowey expressed her appreciation to the 
Saudi participants, noting that as a mother of three and 
grandmother of eight children, she was concerned about the 
future of our countries and felt a sense of urgency.  She 
said that unless we spoke directly to the kids and made them 
understand that there was a path to a positive future, and 
that it was not okay to destroy families, communities, 
buildings and markets, the whole world was at risk. 
 
¶22. (U) Dr. Bin Moammar ended the meeting by noting that 
Saudi Arabia was at the heart of Islamic countries and had 
made a huge investment in promoting reforms.  He said the 
country's leadership was excellent and Saudi Arabia had a 
golden opportunity to get its right place in the world.  King 
Abdullah's Interfaith Dialogue Initiative would turn "this 
area into the most peaceful place on earth," he concluded. 
 
¶23. (U) The CODEL did not have the opportunity to clear this 
message before departing Saudi Arabia. 
SMITH