Al-Yaom al-Watany

Saudi National Day celebrates the country's founding with vibrant displays and unity.

Saudi National Day, alongside other regional national days, featuring light shows, air displays and parades.

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Opens Sep 23, closes Sep 24 · 48 hours

what Al-Yaom al-Watany is

Saudi National Day, or Al-Yaom al-Watany, is celebrated annually on September 23rd to commemorate the unification of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under King Abdulaziz in 1932. The day is marked by a public holiday, with schools, businesses, and government offices closed to allow citizens to participate in the festivities. The celebrations are a display of national pride, featuring light shows, air displays, and parades that showcase the country's military strength and cultural heritage.

Throughout the day, cities across Saudi Arabia are adorned with green and white decorations, the national colors, and large portraits of King Abdulaziz and the current monarch. Major cities like Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam host grand events, including fireworks displays in the evening. Traditional Saudi music and folk dances, such as the Ardha, are performed, adding to the cultural richness of the celebrations. Families and friends gather to enjoy the festivities, often sharing traditional Saudi dishes like kabsa, shawarma, and maamoul, a type of date-filled cookie.

what you'll learn5 domains

The pack has 36 words spread across these domains.

GreetingsCommon phrases and greetings used during Saudi National Day.

Event DaySpecific activities and events that take place on Saudi National Day.

PlacesKey locations where Saudi National Day celebrations occur.

FoodTraditional dishes and treats enjoyed during the festivities.

MusicTypes of music and dances performed during Saudi National Day.

the run — three rounds, about three minutes, unlimited practice

Round 1 · MatchPair the word with its meaning. Six pairs, one attempt each.

Round 2 · SpellType the word you hear, accents and all. Beginners see the meaning and complete the word instead.

Round 3 · MeaningSix questions on what happens at Al-Yaom al-Watany and what it is called.

how scoring works

How you are ranked

1AccuracyEvery correct answer counts the same. Anything you leave unanswered counts as wrong.

2Time, only to break tiesTime is read only when two people have the same accuracy. It never beats a better score.

For example

1100%3:41Marta

2100%4:02Joan — same score, slower

397%2:10Núria — fastest, still third

Two separate boards

BeginnerAdvanced

Same words in both. Beginner gets more help: matching and completing. Advanced listens and spells it out unaided. Pick it in practice; it locks when you take the scored run.

One scored run

Practise as often as you like, all year. The scored run happens once, while the competition is open, and cannot be retaken.