Saudi Arabia, the largest nation on the Arabian Peninsula, has witnessed enormous changes during the last hundred years - notably, the rise in power of strict religious conservatives and untold wealth from the discovery of the world’s largest source of petroleum. The country’s image internationally has suffered in recent decades as the home of most of the September 11th hijackers and Osama Bin Laden, and most recently the killing of the Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The Saudi royal family, who has ruled the country since the 1930s, is now embarked on a new course - reducing the nation’s dependence on oil in part by opening the country for tourism, and eliminating the religious police and severely curtailing the influence of religious leaders. It’s far too early to predict whether this new vision will succeed, but based on the travels of the presenter, Barry Pell, this is an exciting time to observe a country on the cusp of change and to meet its warm and hospitable people. Pell is a world traveler and photojournalist who has traveled widely over five decades visiting and documenting landscapes and cultures in nearly 170 countries on all continents. He currently lectures on international cultures at schools, universities, libraries, and community groups in the Boston area.

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This program is hosted by the Tewksbury Public Library in partnership with other area libraries. Sponsored by the Friends of the Library and Corning Community Impact & Investment.