The image of Saudi Arabia in the world

[saudiimage]

The notion of image refers to the perceptions that people from various countries have about the world around them with all its constitutes. This image is a natural outcome of direct and indirect individual experiences which they acquire through different communicative interactions. In its international dimensions, this image becomes particularly important given its influence on the prevailing public opinion in terms of the various elements related to it. Starting from the fundamental relation between the stereotype and the shaping of public opinion, many countries have involved their institutions in investigating the image held about them around the world. The recent international events have made it all the more important to study the conceptual image held by the countries around the world about the Kingdom, the factors contributing to its development and the approached necessary for its improvement.
This is what has prompted the Saudi Association for Media and Communication (SAMC) to devote Second Annual Communication Forum to investigating the conceptual image of the kingdom around the around the world. (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 2-5 October. 2004)