برعاية وزير الداخلية.. «حوار الأمن والتاريخ» ينطلق اليوم بـ50 جلسة و160 متحدثاً

Under the patronage of the Minister of Interior, Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, the "Security and History Dialogue 2026" conference kicks off today (Sunday) in Riyadh, organized by the Ministry of Interior from September 6 to 8, 2026, at the Cultural Palace in the Diplomatic Quarter, under the slogan "Our History and Our Future... Security and Growth." The event will feature more than 160 speakers, including princes, dignitaries, leaders, officials, experts, researchers, academics, thinkers, and media professionals, with a targeted attendance of over 5,000 visitors from within Saudi Arabia and abroad.

The conference brings together a select group of Saudi, Arab, and international figures to showcase Saudi Arabia's journey in security, development, and national history, examining the transformations it has witnessed and linking historical milestones to the evolution of its institutions and security and developmental capabilities.

Princes and Ministers... Kuwaiti Presence

The conference will feature the participation of Prince Dr. Faisal bin Mishaal bin Saud, the Governor of Al-Qassim Region, Princess Lulwa Al-Faisal bin Abdulaziz, Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees and General Supervisor of Effat University, Princess Haifa bint Abdul Mohsen, Director of Development and Partnerships at the Culture and Arts Association, Jassim Mohammed Al-Budaiwi, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, former Minister of State and former Cabinet member Dr. Madani Abdulqader Al-Alaq, former Minister of State and former Cabinet member for Shura Council Affairs Dr. Saud Said Al-Mutahmi, and advisor at the Royal Court and Chairman of the Energy Economics Association Dr. Majid Al-Muneef. The Gulf side will be represented by former Kuwaiti Minister of Information Sami Abdulatif Al-Nisf, who will participate as part of the official speakers' list, along with several other Gulf, Arab, and international figures.

Diplomats and Security Leaders

Also participating are the Secretary-General of the Council of Senior Scholars and Secretary-General of the Permanent Committee for Fatwa Sheikh Dr. Fahd Al-Majid, Assistant Minister of Interior for Technical Affairs Engineer Thamer Mohammed Al-Harbi, former Permanent Representative of the Kingdom to the United Nations Engineer Abdullah Yahya Al-Muallimi, Director of Public Security Lieutenant General Mohammed Abdullah Al-Bassami, and Director General of Border Guards Major General Shaya' Salem Al-Wad'ani.

The list of participants also includes the Acting Director General of Passports and Acting Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior for Civil Affairs Major General Dr. Saleh Saad Al-Murabba, Secretary of the Board of Trustees of the Intellectual Property Protection Center Major General Dr. Abdullah Hadi Al-Hajri, Director of the General Administration for the Care of Families of Martyrs and Injured at the Ministry of Interior Major General Hussam Abdullah Al-Rashed, the official spokesperson for the Presidency of State Security Colonel Turki Muqbil Al-Harbi, and the Director of the General Administration of Media and Institutional Communication and Security Spokesman for the Ministry of Interior Brigadier General Talal Abdul Mohsen Shalhoub.

Researchers and Historians

The participants include the Iraqi researcher, historian, and investigator Dr. Bashar Awad Ma'ruf, winner of the King Faisal International Prize, Professor of Near Eastern Studies at Princeton University Dr. Bernard Haykel, Professor of History and Director of the Center for Foundational Research and National History at Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University Dr. Zuhair Abdullah Al-Shahri, academic and writer and member of the Board of Directors of the Literature, Publishing, and Translation Authority Dr. Saad Al-Bazai, and Professor of Saudi History and Director of the Al-Washm Heritage House Dr. Abdulatif Al-Humaid. Also participating is researcher and academic specializing in archaeology, civilizations, and Semitic languages, and winner of the King Faisal International Prize Dr. Said Faiz Al-Saeed, Professor of Modern and Contemporary History at Umm Al-Qura University Dr. Ahlam Ali Abu Qaid, Head of the History Department at Umm Al-Qura University Dr. Badr Hamid Al-Sulami, Professor of Modern and Contemporary History at Umm Al-Qura University Dr. Sahar Ali Dada, and Professor of Saudi History and International Relations at Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University Dr. Dhifallah bin Razin. The list also includes Professor of Modern and Contemporary History and Head of the History Department at King Saud University Dr. Faris bin Muteb Al-Musharafi, Professor of Saudi History at King Saud University Dr. Fatima Hussein Al-Fardan, Head of the Taif History Center Dr. Latifa Mutlaq Al-Adwani, and specialist in modern and contemporary history Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Shibl, and Director of the Asir Region History Center Dr. Ali Al-Qutub.

Economists and Academics

Participating are the Secretary-General of the King Abdulaziz Center for National Dialogue Dr. Abdullah Al-Fawzan, Founder and President of the Gulf Research Center Dr. Abdulaziz bin Saqr, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Chambers Federation Abdullah Saleh Kamel, CEO of the Quality of Life Program Khalid Abdullah Al-Bakr, and CEO of Tuwaiq Academy Abdulaziz Al-Hamadi.

The list of participants also includes Professor of Media and Editor-in-Chief of "The Peninsula Qatar" Dr. Khalid Al-Shafi, Director of the Nigerian Center for Arab Research Professor Al-Khidr Abdulbaqi Mohammed, Professor of Computer Science at Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University Dr. Sara Al-Hamoud, Associate Professor of Sociology at King Saud University Dr. Abdul Salam Al-Wail, Associate Professor of History at King Saud University Dr. Abdullah Othman Al-Kharashi, and Associate Professor of Public Administration at King Fahd Security College Brigadier General Dr. Muflih Hamid Al-Sulami.

Media Professionals and Thinkers

In the media and intellectual sphere, participating are the Editor-in-Chief of "Okaz" newspaper and General Supervisor of "Saudi Gazette" Jamil Al-Dhiabi, Chairman of the Board of the Saudi Journalists Association and Editor-in-Chief of "Independent Arabia" Adwan Al-Ahmari, Editor-in-Chief of "Arab News" Faisal Abbas, Editor-in-Chief of "Al-Eqtisadiyah" newspaper and Managing Editor of "Asharq Bloomberg" Mohammed Al-Bishi, Editor-in-Chief of "Al-Watan" newspaper and Chairman of the Board of the Intangible Heritage Association Dr. Othman Mahmoud Al-Sini, writer and journalist Abdulrahman Al-Rashed, and media personality and presenter at "Al-Arabiya" channel Mohammed Al-Tumaihi. The list also includes journalist and writer Jaser Al-Jaser, writer and journalist Sultan Al-Saad Al-Qahtani, blogger interested in the history of civilizations Sultan Al-Mousa, writer and journalist Abdulaziz Al-Suwaid, writer and journalist Abdulkarim Al-Afnan, writer and researcher in modern history and industrial heritage Ghaith Al-Shaya, media personality and writer and political analyst at "An-Nahar" newspaper in Lebanon Ali Hamada, and writer and presenter at "Al-Arabiya" channel Mishari Al-Dhaidi.

Diplomats and Ambassadors

The diplomatic presence extends through the participation of experienced figures in international relations, including Ambassador Ahmed Farouk, former Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt to Saudi Arabia, Ambassador Osama Ahmed Naqli, diplomat and former ambassador, and Engineer Abdullah Yahya Al-Muallimi, former Permanent Representative of the Kingdom to the United Nations, Dr. Louis Blin, former diplomat and researcher specializing in history, and former researcher and diplomat Paul Marcel Korburochuk. The researcher in international relations Dr. Joseph Keshishian, and advisor to "Al-Arabiya" channel for European and international affairs Dr. Ahmed Ajaj, will also participate, along with several researchers and specialists in international relations, politics, and media.

Security, Technology, and Intellectual Awareness

The attendance is not limited to historians and academics, as several specialists in security, technology, and intellectual awareness will participate, including the Deputy Assistant Minister of Interior for Technical Affairs Dr. Mohammed Al-Hamed, specialist and researcher in cybersecurity and digital evidence at the Naif Arab University for Security Sciences Engineer Ibrahim Al-Zahrani, Director General of the General Administration for Intellectual Awareness at the Ministry of Education Dr. Abdulrahman Abdullah Al-Areifi, Director of the Intellectual Awareness Unit at the Council of Universities Dr. Abdullah bin Hamid, and Professor of Media and former member of the Shura Council Dr. Ali Shuwail Al-Qarni. Also participating are Professor of Psychology at the College of Social Sciences at Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University Dr. Farhan Al-Anzi, member of the Shura Council and former head of the Saudi Press Agency Dr. Fahd Al-Aqran, faculty member at Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University and researcher in artificial intelligence applications Dr. Fahd Saleh Al-Ghamdi, and Director of Studies and Consulting Services at Naif Arab University for Security Sciences Dr. Naif Suleiman Al-Mutlaq.

Discussing Transformations

The conference activities will cover areas of history, security, international relations, economy, media, culture, society, and technology, opening a wide space for discussing the transformations that Saudi Arabia has undergone and showcasing the relationship between the development of the state and its institutions and its security and developmental capabilities.

50 Sessions... and 60 Hours of Dialogue

The conference includes more than 50 dialogue and interactive sessions held over three days, totaling more than 60 hours of dialogue and interaction, alongside the participation of more than 30 entities, targeting an audience of over 5,000 visitors from within Saudi Arabia and abroad. The sessions will address the relationship between security and development, the evolution of state institutions and their security capabilities, as well as national identity, citizenship, awareness, moderation, international relations, and the role of security in protecting national gains, supporting investment, creating opportunities, and improving quality of life.

Saudi Arabia's Journey

The conference will provide an overview of Saudi Arabia's journey from the perspective of the relationship between security, stability, and development, based on the premise that security has not been separate from the process of state-building but has been linked to the evolution of its institutions and its ability to protect society and its gains, and to create the necessary environment for growth and prosperity.

The program will also showcase milestones from national history and the development of the security system, opening discussions on the social, political, economic, and cultural transformations that accompanied the stages of building the Saudi state.

"The Security and History Theater"... An Interactive Experience

The conference activities are not limited to dialogue sessions, as "The Security and History Theater" offers an interactive narrative experience showcasing milestones from national history with the participation of researchers, youth, and graduate students, while "The Security Path" provides a visual and technical experience showcasing the evolution of the security system in Saudi Arabia.

The program also includes accompanying artistic and cultural activities and knowledge experiences aimed at presenting national history in interactive ways suitable for various visitor segments, giving participants and visitors the opportunity to engage with the conference topics from diverse cognitive and experiential angles.

30 Partner Entities

More than 30 partner entities will participate in the conference, led by the King Abdulaziz Foundation as the main partner, and the Royal Commission for Riyadh City as the strategic partner, along with Tuwaiq Academy and the Saudi Company for Comprehensive Technical and Security Control "Tahakom," in addition to other national entities. The official conference website confirms the participation of entities including the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of National Guard, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Media, and the Presidency of State Security.

Continuation of the 2025 Edition

The "Security and History Dialogue 2026" comes as a continuation of the "Security and History Dialogue" forum organized by the Ministry of Interior in 2025, with the current edition expanding in the number of participants, topics, sessions, and interactive experiences.

The conference aims to enhance awareness of Saudi Arabia's journey, reinforce national identity and belonging, enrich documented knowledge content, and provide a space for researchers, academics, youth, and media professionals to read history and anticipate the future, reflecting the importance of security and stability in the process of state-building and supporting development, creating opportunities, and improving quality of life. With more than 160 speakers, over 50 sessions, 60 hours of dialogue, more than 30 participating entities, and over 5,000 targeted visitors, the "Security and History Dialogue 2026" offers its visitors a broad reading of Saudi Arabia's journey; how security contributed to the creation of stability, how stability became a foundation for development and growth, and how the past can be read to understand the future.