Riyadh: Singaporean investor Sharin Lien shared her social experience during Ramadan in Riyadh, emphasizing that the sense of community and human connection she encountered surpassed anything she had experienced during her years of traveling and working around the world.
According to Saudi Press Agency, Lien said moving to Riyadh last Ramadan proved a unique personal experience, noting that she had not expected the holy month to instill such a strong sense of belonging and social cohesion. She explained that during the blessed month, her neighborhood transformed from a collection of adjacent houses into a close-knit community defined by warmth and mutual care.
Lien added that Ramadan in the Kingdom offers a distinctive social atmosphere. While interactions with neighbors during the rest of the year may be limited to occasional meetings, such as weekend outings to a nearby park, the situation changes entirely during Ramadan. Open spaces between homes become venues for daily gatherings, where Saudi coffee and tea are served, neighbors exchange dates, and conversations unfold in an atmosphere reflecting the depth of authentic Saudi social heritage.
Speaking about the family dimension of life in the Kingdom, Lien noted that Saudi society places a strong emphasis on family and community values, something she said is not always common in many of the places she previously lived.
She explained that her neighborhood provides a safe and nurturing environment for her seven children, allowing them to play freely in parks and public spaces, which strengthens their sense of belonging to a community that respects their presence and values their participation.
She concluded by emphasizing that her family's decision to settle in Riyadh was not merely a geographical choice, but one rooted in a broader system of social values, saying, 'I have lived in many places around the world, and I have never seen a place like the Kingdom in welcoming families and honoring their presence'.