Riyadh: In a move to rebuild its deteriorating economy, Saudi Arabia has relaxed its stringent rules and regulations on having fun -- so that its government could earn money from it.
According to a report in The Bloomberg, the ultra-conservative society is boosting its tourism and attracting people towards it by allowing music and dance. Earlier whenever people had to watch a movie or a show, they had to travel all the way to Dubai or Bahrain as the religious police in Saudi had ordered a ban on music.
"It’s a new experience. We’d love to have more such shows in the kingdom," said Mohammed al-Mawla, a university student from Riyadh who attended an event in King Abdullah Economic City.
The event comprised of a music as well as magic show. Justin Bieber’s “Let me love you!” was played on giant speakers to welcome the crowd at the event. The musical event then turned towards a magical world when two American magicians took over the stage. After the magic show, people enjoyed some opera, mime and dance.
"I felt like I was part of a real society. We sat together and laughed together. When the show was over, we all stood in lines in the cold to buy burgers or crepes from food trucks. We ran into friends. It felt right," said 22-year-old college student Marwa Yassin who had attended the event with her girlfriends.
Small businessmen too said that they were enthusiastic about the move as it was a golden chance for them to 'make more money'.
However, this fun was only limited to men. The cast of the show was all male, including children. Women, on the other hand, had to stand away from the stage. At the end of the show when the photograph session commenced, women were allowed on the stage, but on one condition -- they had to wear burqas from head to toe.
This event was a part of the vision 2030 programme, a part of the plan prepared by Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The plan is expected to tackle a lot of things -- right from the government's spending on subsidies as well as the role of women in workforce.
