The Unthinkable Party: A New Face for the Saudi Kingdom

9. The geopolitical implications of the event are also significant. Saudi Arabia, in its quest for a new international image, is consciously moving to shed the label of an ultra-conservative state. Allowing events like Halloween, major international concerts, and cinemas is a powerful, non-verbal diplomatic statement aimed at Western allies and global investors, suggesting a society that is open, modern, and compatible with global norms, even if those norms clash with past domestic orthodoxy.