KING CHARTS NEW VISION FOR SAUDI ARABIA WITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 RIYADH 001278 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP (HARRIS, BERNDT),R (MCHALE, DOUGLAS),NEA/PPD (DICKMEYER, AGNEW, BENZE) AND OES/EGC (MURPHY, BROWN) DEPARTMENT PLEASE PASS TO NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION (DR. ARDEN BEMENT) E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/27/2019 TAGS: ECON PREL SOCI EINV KSCA SCUL SA SUBJECT: KING CHARTS NEW VISION FOR SAUDI ARABIA WITH OPENING OF SCIENCE UNIVERSITY REF: A. JEDDAH 0342 ¶B. JEDDAH 0047 ¶C. 08 RIYADH 1480 Classified By: Ambassador James B. Smith, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (SBU) After only three short years of preparation, Saudi Arabia inaugurated the King Abdullah University for Science and Technology (KAUST) in an elaborate ceremony on September 23, coinciding with Saudi National Day. The massive scale and luxury of the amenities are physical reminders of the audacity of the vision, and the depth of the King's commitment to see Saudi Arabia develop into a more modern, technologically adept country. A dozen heads-of-state attended the event, which highlighted the multicultural nature of KAUST's faculty and staff. In his remarks, the King emphasized the importance of faith and tolerance in the pursuit of science. Although no direct reference was made to gender integration at KAUST, several subtle, symbolic gestures acknowledged the open nature of the university. KAUST's inaugural symposium the following day focused on women in science and the importance of developing a more sustainable world through research into water, food, and energy challenges. KAUST administrators went out of their way to thank a number of primarily American institutions that had helped them meet the King's ambitious timetable to stand up a world-class research institute. While KAUST still faces a number of challenges, including overcoming expected initial physical and academic growing pains, it is in the U.S. interest to see this initiative succeed. The U.S. delegation, led by National Science Foundation Director Dr. Arden Bement, underscored our support and will help to broaden our Science and Technology cooperation with Saudi Arabia. End summary. CELEBRATING HIGH SCIENCE IN THE DESERT -------------- ¶2. (SBU) King Abdullah explained that, for 25 years, he had seen the need for the Kingdom to have a leading scientific institution where Saudi youth could work with their international peers to solve the most pressing scientific challenges to the Kingdom's development. He was clearly pleased that his dream had been realized three short years after breaking ground. Appropriately, the KAUST opening was an elaborate ceremony attended by approximately 3,000 people including several heads of state and Nobel laureates. The Presidents of the Philippines, Syria, Sudan, Djibouti, Yemen and Turkey, former Prime Minister of Lebanon, the Sultan of Oman, the Emir of Kuwait and Kings of Jordan and Bahrain attended the event as well as Prince Andrew, Duke of York, for the U.K. National Science Foundation Director Dr. Arden Bement led the U.S. delegation, which included Under Secretary Judith McHale and Ambassador Smith (septel). Police led motorcades of attendees from hotels in downtown Jeddah 80 kilometers north to the campus. MUTICULTURALISM, NATIONALISM, AND KNOWLEDGE -------------- ¶3. (SBU) The inauguration was held in a futuristic, airport terminal-sized tent (constructed solely for the event) across the water from the Eiffel Tower-esque Breakwater Beacon which dominates the campus. A large marching BAND opened the ceremony with a rendition of the Saudi national anthem. In recognition of their National Day, many Saudi attendees sang along. KAUST President Professor Choon Fong Shih delivered the opening, and Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources and Chairman of KAUST's Board of Trustees Al-Naimi and Minister of Higher Education Rasheed gave congratulatory remarks. The speeches were separated by an impressive video presentation in Arabic and English which focused on the origin of KAUST and its multicultural students and faculty. ¶4. (SBU) King Abdullah addressed the crowd on the occasion of both KAUST's opening and Saudi Arabia's National Day. RIYADH 00001278 002 OF 003 Highlighting the Islamic world's role in scientific discovery, the King said that KAUST was a continuation of his country's quest for knowledge. The King stressed the importance of KAUST to develop Saudi Arabia's long-term potential to address a range of problems, including diversifying away from oil and generating jobs. The King also stressed the importance of pursuing initiatives like KAUST to end the scourge of terrorism. On several occasions, the King acknowledged the role of the Muslim faith in the pursuit of knowledge, a message underscored by frequent Quranic quotations and recitations of Hadith by imams. ¶5. (SBU) To conclude the ceremony, the King placed his hand on a pedestal, thus formally inaugurating the university. The huge, multi-paneled wall behind the main stage of the auditorium subsequently opened to reveal floor-to-ceiling and wall-to-wall windows looking out across the water to the Breakwater Beacon. Perfectly on cue, an elaborate fireworks show lit up the sky, as laser beams shot out from the Beacon. Inauguration attendees responded with enthusiastic applause. After the pyrotechnics, delegates and staff moved to the cavernous dining hall. SUBTLE REFERENCES TO GENDER INTEGRATION -------------- ¶6. (C) Saudi men and women, many of whom did not wear the face-covering niqab, mingled freely with international attendees throughout the ceremony. Male and female students stood side-by-side on stage for an emotive reading of a poem written specifically for the ceremony. The ceremony was interspaced with a movie showing (uncovered) young girls and boys studying together. There were also video clips of uncovered Saudi and international female students describing their personal goals for their time at KAUST. (Although 33 American graduate students are enrolled at KAUST, no American students were featured in the video.) Towards the end of the ceremony, a mixed group of 8 to 14-year-old boys and girls carrying the flags of the various countries represented at KAUST crossed the stage. According to one source, King Abdullah's first wife, Hessa, was present at the inauguration, surrounded by a phalanx of Saudi women seated in the middle of the auditorium. SYMPOSIUM HIGHLIGHTS U.S. PARTNERSHIP, NEED FOR SOCIAL SCIENCES -------------- ¶7. (SBU) KAUST's inaugural symposium the following day focused on women in science and research to address water, food, and energy sustainability challenges. Dr. Bement attended the entire symposium, and was noticeably the only head of delegation to do so. World renowned SCIENTISTS addressed academics and students on politically sensitive issues including climate change, energy security, food security, water scarcity, and ocean acidification. The question and answer section focused heavily on the social, economic, and political barriers to science and technology, highlighting a need for social science curriculum at KAUST which currently does not exist. Executive Vice President Al-Nasr closed the symposium by thanking U.S. and other global institutions for their contributions to the university's development, staffing, and recruiting. COMMENT -------------- ¶8. (C) While Saudi hosts may have been disappointed that more foreign heads of state did not attend, many of whom were participating in UNGA or G20 activities, this factor did not significantly detract from the overall impact of the event. In three years, Saudi Arabia has invested more than $10 billion in the project and created an institution with the potential to become a premiere research university, joining only 15 other such facilities worldwide. The King has made a huge bet on pushing his country to develop a broader economy with the required knowledge base to sustain it. This is in addition to the massive King Abdullah Scholarship Program, suggesting that KAUST is not an isolated "white elephant" RIYADH 00001278 003 OF 003 project, but part of a concerted effort. KAUST undoubtedly will face growing pains and lingering opposition from religious conservatives. Ultimately, the greatest challenge may be to narrow the metaphorical distance between the international scientific community and Saudi society. It is noteworthy how appreciative Saudi officials were of U.S. help. In greeting Dr. Bement the King told him that his attendance was appreciated and asked him to convey his best wishes to President Obama. We will look for opportunities to build on the participation of the National Science Foundation and other U.S. institutions to broaden our bilateral Science and Technology cooperation with Saudi Arabia, and support KAUST's educational and research mission. SMITH