Opinion The Youth Issue

What it means to be a young person in the Gulf today

The youth face the challenge of portraying their real identity.

By Nada Alsudairi

Artwork by Nada Alsudairi.

In world that’s as rapidly changing as the ocean waves, the youth of the Gulf today have grown to blossom onto their stance. This is especially true of  women in the region.

Young Khaleejis, and young women specifically, are a crucial part of Khaleeji society. They are carrying our cultural values through various mediums, from their fashion styles all the way to their creative minds. The youth of  Gulf society are blooming with light and modernness, all while blending it with their spirituality, just as the artwork depicts a young lady emerging out of the sea and blending in.

The Island Mosque photographed above, which is located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, is a portrayal of the deeply rooted religious values that the region and its society hold. A young person in the Gulf today faces many challenges relating to the portrayal of their real identity against stereotypes. Yet, our generation shows the world, time and time again, our cultural values and how the waves of the changing world can blend all together, all while preserving the region’s authentic individuality.

What does it mean to be a young person in the Gulf today? I say it is to carry your real identity with both grace and charm through the waves of modernity.

The views of the authors and writers who contribute to Sekka, and the views of the interviewees who are featured in Sekka, do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Sekka, its parent company, its owners, employees and affiliates.

Nada Alsudairy is a Saudi student studying law and political science at the Sorbonne University, Abu Dhabi, UAE.