The youth and sport sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is given special attention and care head by the state by The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Fahd Ibn Abdel Aziz, His Highness the Crown Prince and His highness the Second Deputy Premier. This is manifested in the accomplishments achieved by the Kingdom’s youth during its development march. The efforts exerted by the General Presidency for Youth Welfare have contributed in raising the cultural, sport and liberal arts standards in the Kingdom. As a result of these efforts, the Saudi youth have won championships and in sport competitions and tournaments as well as in cultural and art exhibitions and festivals at Arab, regional and international levels. Besides the latter support, the GPYW also provides support to sport clubs and unions through material and moral encouragement to the talented youth as well as through literary clubs and Saudi Arabian Society for youth Hostels and through the Saudi Arabian Society for Culture and Arts which was established in 1972 0. The GPYW procures the various sport facilities, such as the sport centers, youth hostels and camps, public parks and the clubs with all equipment. It also arranges competitions in literature, poetry and arts and it effectively participates in the book fairs in and out of the Kingdom.

  There are more than (72) youth facilities all over the Kingdom, which have the latest equipment and in which the Saudi youth practice various sports, cultural and art activities. Out of these facilities, one sees several sport cities, centers and stadiums. The King Fahd International Stadium is the largest stadium in Riyadh. It has the shape of a large tent and has been constructed according the most advanced international standards, its area is 500,000 M2, its soccer pitch accommodates 75-100 thousand spectators, in addition to the running tracks which have been designed and executed in accordance with Olympic standards’ it has a restaurant that can accommodate 3000 people, a gymnasium, and medical informational service halls.

  The other sport cities and centers in Makkah AlMukaramah, Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah, Taif, Al Qassim Abha, Tabuk, Al-Ihsa’e, Hail, Al-Khobar, Jeddah, Jazan, Al-Majma’ah, Al-Baha, Al-Qaraytt, Al-Khafjy and Al-Qateef accommodate from 20-30 thousand spectators, and each one has a running track, youth hostels, playgrounds, a mosque, a gymnasium hall, a swimming hall, a medical center and an auditorium.

  As for the sport clubs there are three categories namely excellent class clubs, first class clubs and second class clubs. The total is (153) clubs compared with about (53) clubs in 1970. During the period from 1974 up to the end of 1997 0, the GPYW has given aid to clubs amounting to more than 4.2 billion riyals in addition to establishing 25 sport buildings for main clubs in various regions of the Kingdom.

  The Saudi Olympic Commission, which was formed in 1964, has now 22 sport unions and commissions for members. It is a member in the international and continental sport organizations. There are (7) Arab sport unions which have their premises in Riyadh. Twenty youth hostels have been opened together with 5 public yards and 12 literary clubs, which include about 3000 members and 2 youth permanent camps. Other than football, which is the most popular sport in the Kingdom, the activities of the Saudi Olympic Commission covers the original Arab sports like hunting, chivalry and shooting track and field and the international sports like tennis, swimming, table tennis, track and field gymnastics, judo, taikondo and other sports. The GPYW has established commanders qualifying institute and a sport medical hospital.

  Other than the Arab championships, which the Kingdom teams have won in a number of Gulf and Arab sport tournaments, the Kingdom has participated in Olympic competitions since 1976 G: in Montreal it participated in 8 games; in Los Angeles in football games, discus throwing and arrow throwing. The Kingdom has a record of achievements in football, the junior team now the first Asian junior Cup in 1984 in Qatar, the third Asian Cup in Thailand in 1988, the World junior Cup m Scotland in 1988, the School Tournament Cup in Tunisia in 1986, the Second Third International Friendship Championship in Muscat in 1989 and 1991 and the 7th Arab Championship CupinQatarinl998G.

  The first Saudi team won the Olympic Friendship Cup in Riyadh in 1978, the eighth Asian Cup in Singapore in 1984, the Islamic Sports Tournament in Turkey in 1988, the ninth Asian Cup in Qatar in 1988 and the Asian Cup for the third time in 19960. The Saudi team qualified for the 1994 and the 1988 World Cup in the USA and in France respectively.

  The Saudi Arabian Society for Culture and Arts supports culture and creativity in the Kingdom as well as practices its activities in its Riyadh headquarter and through its nine branches in the main cities. Its tasks are to encourage the plastic arts movement, to organize the collective exhibitions, to look after theatrical activities by enacting plays to offer heritage and folkloric activities, to run the cultural caravans under the Culture For All Project and to arrange seminars, lectures and poetry evenings; moreover, the GPYW supervises the folkloric bands and the plastic arts movement of the Kingdom. It effectively participates in the National Festival for Heritage and Culture, which is held annually at Janadriyah in Riyadh, and the international and Arab cultural events, such as book fares, In addition, the GPYW looks after the Arab Center for reviving artistic heritage. In terms of publishing, the GPYW issues a biweekly cultural magazine, prints and publishes of cultural books, supports and encourages the magazines and leaflets which issued by the Saudi Arabian Society for Culture and Arts and Literary Clubs.

  For literary and intellectual activities in the Kingdom, the GPYW supervises the State Appreciation Prize in Literature which is awarded to outstanding Saudi men of letters in recognition for their literary and intellectual contributions. The GPYW is also concerned with the education children and has created a prize named the (Faisal Ibn Fahad Prize for the Saudi Child Culture). The GPYW also contributes in the permanent National Commission for Narcotics Fighting, implementing the preventive programs and plans to keep the youth and society members aware of the dangers of narcotics. These efforts and achievements are regarded ,important gains for the Saudi youth, which reflects the care and attention rendered by the State to its youth who are the building blocks of the nation, its strength and its future.