Saudi Family Forum

The family is considered the nucleus of society. The psychological and social stability and the active participation of members of a society depends largely on the level of cohesion and interconnectedness of the family and on how its members see their roles and responsibilities at the family, community and national levels. Family is the first incubator of human capital, the unit that shapes the personality of the Saudi individual with his/her values and skills and develops that individual’s gifts in the early years of life. Family is the first social institution that offers its members care and supports their needs. It is the founding block in a wall that stands up to social, economic, health, or environmental challenges. As such, investing in the family’s security and stability achieves social security and stability while raising the level of social and patriotic responsibility among all social strata. It opens up a variety of sustainable horizons for social prosperity and development. Since its proclamation, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has focused on family. Chapter (3) of the Basic Law of Government stresses the role of the family as well as the government’s sage leadership in strengthening family ties and supporting its cohesiveness to allow the family unit to play its part. All this considered, the Kingdom established the Family Affairs Council (FAC) to serve as an official entity that supports the government’s system in this matter. The government made all possible resources available to the council to ensure it plays its part in protecting and empowering families and promoting their role.

Since its inception, FAC has organized an annual family forum. The forum addresses important family issues and empowering and protecting families. Every year, the forum topic is usually selected for its importance and impact on the family. FAC organized three local and regional forums over the past three years. It hosted a constellation of specialists, experts, social development and family affairs stakeholders from the field of academia, NGOs, and international organizations. The events shed light on important issues such as the economy, technology, crises, and the pandemic.

This year, FAC is planning on hosting a key event that coincides with the 5th anniversary of the launching of Vision 2030. It also coincides with the Kingdom’s commitment to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The event will be entitled: "The Role of the Family in the Kingdom’s Sustainable Development Structure and Vision 2030". The event is slated to discuss top contemporary family issues. The forum will focus on the participation of senior elite leaders, experts, and specialists from around the world including international organizations, national leaders, and all fields related to the family at the local and international levels. The forum is also keen on the participation of a variety of social strata through virtual platforms that will be running live, free of charge, on various channels. With the approval of the King and the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, the event will be held in person and virtually in Riyadh on October 24-25, 2021 (18/3/1443H).