Saudia is celebrating Arabic culture and language by adorning two of its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners with special calligraphy-themed liveries. The project was undertaken in partnership with the Saudi Ministry of Culture for its 'Year of Arabic Calligraphy.' The two aircraft have already been active internationally, flying to London, Madrid and Dubai in recent days with their new liveries.

Calligraphy-themed liveries for Dreamliners

As part of the Ministry of Culture's 'Year of Arabic Calligraphy,' Saudia has painted two Dreamliners with special liveries to mark the occasion. The two planes (registration: HZ-ARD and HZ-AR13) were adorned with calligraphy-inspired liveries and are set to fly on many of Saudia's most popular international routes.

Razan Shaker, a media specialist at Saudia, told Arab News,

“Today, we are celebrating the ‘Year of Arabic Calligraphy,’ an initiative under the Ministry of Culture. This initiative showcases and celebrates the intricate designs and the beautiful art of Arabic calligraphy.”

The two aircraft embarked on special flights on June 2nd, flying to London Heathrow and Dubai from Riyadh and Jeddah respectively. Passengers were treated to special boarding passes with their names written in calligraphy and welcomed at the airport with traditional musical performances before departure.

Jahez Co. and Raseel Union Co., two partners in the 'Year of Arabic Calligraphy' initiative, presented passengers with 600 calligraphy souvenirs to mark the occasion. Additionally, passengers received a copy of a calligraphy book which won a competition held by the Ministry of Culture.

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Sharing calligraphy with the world

The Ministry of Culture launched the 'Year of Arabic Calligraphy' in 2020 as a part of the country's Quality of Life Program. The initiative was successful and subsequently extended for another year to allow further projects, like Saudia's, to come to fruition.

According to Saudia,

"It aims to develop calligraphy as a distinct art that embodies the richness and aesthetics of the Arabic language besides highlighting the Kingdom’s role in promoting Arabic calligraphy."

Various programs and projects have been held across Saudi Arabia and the world to celebrate Arabic calligraphy, exploring its links "to the various fields of Arab civilization including religion, art, architecture, education, and craftsmanship."

Ultimately the initiative hopes to "transform the art of Arabic calligraphy from a source of knowledge to an aesthetic icon that represents the Saudi identity."

The Quality of Life Program is itself part of Saudi Arabia's grander 'Vision 2030' initiative. Vision 2030 aims to develop key sectors across the country and reduce Saudi Arabia's dependence on oil. Various cultural innovations have come out of Vision 2030, including new movie theaters, festivals and heritage projects.

Saudi Arabia builds up tourism sector

Another goal of the Vision 2030 program is to increase Saudi Arabia's appeal as a tourism destination. The country eventually hopes to attract 100 million tourists each year, with national airline Saudia set to play a key role in making this a reality.

To that end, Saudia launched its SV 2020 Transformation Program in 2016, which aimed to modernize the airline's fleet and overall operations. Along with acquiring 84 new aircraft, Saudia worked on many things behind the scenes, including updated booking and sales systems and improved training programs.

Do you like the new calligraphy-inspired liveries at Saudia? Let us know what you think in the comments.