The launch of the “Security and History Dialogue 2026” conference in Riyadh with wide participation

Today (Sunday) in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, the activities of the “Security and History Dialogue 2026” conference, organized by the Saudi Ministry of Interior, were launched, entitled “Our History and Our Future... Security and Development,” with the participation of more than 160 speakers from inside and outside the Kingdom.

Under the patronage and presence of the Saudi Minister of Interior, Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Nayef, the conference activities will continue from September 6 to 8, and include more than 65 dialogue sessions and interactive meetings, with the participation of more than 30 parties, and it is expected to receive more than 5,000 visitors.

Ahmed Al-Tawyan, the general supervisor of the conference, confirmed during the opening speech that the conference has three messages: “Security is a fixed approach and not the product of circumstance, and the story of Saudi Arabia from the beginning of the road to “a solid homeland and an extended path,” and that there is no development without security and no future without history.” The opening ceremony showed a film entitled “From the past to the future, security and development,” in which a group of experts and specialists participated, and they reviewed aspects of the security process in the history of the Kingdom up to the present.

The conference, which is a national platform for dialogue and intellectual and historical interaction, reviews the Kingdom’s march in the fields of security and development, and the state’s experience and transformations from multiple aspects, including security, politics, economy, society, culture, national identity, awareness, international relations, and institution building.

The first day of the conference witnessed the presence and participation of a number of senior figures, officials, those interested in the field of security and history, specialists, researchers, and the media. The conference program is divided into two tracks, “Dialogue Platform” and “Security and History Theater,” which offer dialogue sessions, special dialogues, speeches, and interactive meetings over the three days of the conference. The dialogue sessions, special sessions, exhibition, and accompanying events also received remarkable interest from the attendees, who began arriving at the conference headquarters since the early morning hours, which reflected interest in To learn about the latest developments in this sector, in addition to the great interest in the history of security in Saudi Arabia.

The first day discussed a number of topics related to the beginnings of security in the Saudi state, the personality of the founding king and his presence in global memory. The second day is expected to address topics of the national heritage in literature and arts, national digital awareness, the role of the Kingdom in regional and global security and peace, the future of security capabilities, international partnerships for security and development, protecting awareness and promoting moderation, the role of the citizen in maintaining stability, in addition to artificial intelligence and future security, the media and the mental image of the Gulf, and the history of a number of security sectors.

On the third day, the agenda focuses on the role of women and the family in building a safe society and consolidating national awareness, the Kingdom’s cultural heritage, the image of a safe homeland and a vibrant society, security and peace in the history of Saudi politics, the story of man and development and its security and social implications, in addition to the topics of culture and national identity, the historical narrative and identity making, and the role of the media and security sectors in enhancing awareness, as well as special speeches that review local and international experiences and visions related to the Kingdom’s history and its transformations.

The conference is accompanied by a number of cognitive and visual experiences, the most prominent of which is the “Security Path,” which offers visitors an interactive experience that showcases more than 300 years of the security process in the Saudi state, starting from the founding stage all the way to the development of the modern security system and contemporary technologies, in addition to the exhibition and accompanying contributions presented by the participating parties.

Jassim Al-Budaiwi, Secretary-General of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, confirmed that since before the establishment of the Cooperation Council, in 1981, the GCC countries had been cooperating and coordinating security among themselves, and exchanging expertise, forces, and equipment. Following the establishment of the Council, its security system became integrated, and security relations between its countries were governed.

During his speech in a special dialogue session, within the Security and History Dialogue Conference, on Sunday, in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, Al-Budaiwi revealed that since the first meeting of the Council of Interior Ministers of the Council in 1982, the GCC countries have been coordinating security to a large extent, in two declared and unannounced tracks, and since that moment, according to Al-Budaiwi, there have been agreements, studies, strategies, joint systems, communication and major security coordination between the interior ministers of the Council countries, all the way to the previous meeting of the interior ministers.

Al-Budaiwi stressed that the previous meeting of interior ministers, which was held due to “the sinful Iranian attacks on the Gulf Cooperation Council countries,” at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, and headed by the Saudi Minister of Interior, and its outcomes had a significant impact in ensuring the security, coordination, and cooperation of the Gulf countries, and he described it as one of the most important meetings he attended.

The Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council pointed out that since February 28, when the targeting of the Gulf states began, the six countries have been coordinating, cooperating and helping each other, and exchanging experiences and communications at all levels, including military, security, logistical, media, health and legislative, noting that all countries are ready to help each other, and this is what measures such as Saudi Arabia changing some legislation to help the Gulf states logistically have contributed to.

Al-Budaiwi continued: “There are lessons learned from this crisis, and we will be able to turn these challenges into opportunities, and these are among the outcomes of the summit meeting that the Kingdom called for in Jeddah.”

On the other hand, Al-Budaiwi said that the GCC countries have a strategy to combat cybercrime, and a unified strategy for dealing with artificial intelligence, and that there is joint work to confront these challenges and to make the most of artificial intelligence.

He added that gangs and countries aim to spread drugs in Gulf societies, “and according to information, there are factories that target Gulf youth; Therefore, the GCC countries adopted the “unified strategy to combat drugs,” with the participation of the Ministries of Interior, Youth, Health, and Education.

He explained that the Anti-Narcotics Committee of the Secretariat for Security Affairs in the Council meets periodically, coordinates its efforts and exchanges information, and there are joint seizures, in addition to the Council’s Center for Narcotics Control in Doha, which works greatly and cooperates internationally and regionally, and coordinates Gulf efforts in this framework.

On the level of artificial intelligence, he stated that in addition to the unified strategy, the GCC countries meet annually at the level of communications ministers, adding that the GCC countries are working to employ artificial intelligence to serve their societies, and there is competition to benefit and cooperate among them.

Regarding the vision of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for the Gulf Cooperation Council, Al-Budaiwi pointed out that it brought security cooperation to a qualitative leap, and many of the Council’s achievements came as a result of this vision, stressing that in this context meetings and gatherings intensified and produced tangible results.

Al-Budaiwi expressed his hope that the GCC countries would reach integration at the highest level at all levels, including military, security, economic, commercial, youth, media and judicial levels.