This is the audience at the “Ambitious Nation” celebration of Saudi Arabia’s national day. It’s good to see that the sexes are now allowed to mingle in public, although Saudi women are still wearing the hijab (covering everything but their eyes) and black abaya, whether by choice or requirement I don’t know. (The few women wearing simple headscarves are most likely foreign nationals.) Still, there have been other tremendous changes in the Kingdom, such as women finally being allowed to drive, a huge advancement for them.

'Ambitious Nation,' Riyadh, posted earlier: