Marking National Day in Singapore, Saudi Aramco intern Abdulrahman Alshammary reflects on logistics, cultural exchange and the quiet responsibility of representing a changing Saudi Arabia abroad.
F or Abdulrahman Alshammary, marking Saudi Arabia’s 96th National Day in Singapore gives a familiar occasion new meaning. The business and supplychain management student, usually surrounded by family, fireworks and green flags, is spending it this year on a Saudi Aramco internship.
“Distance has given the day a new weight,” he says. “At home, National Day was something happening around me; here, it feels like something I carry.”
Educated largely in Europe, he became accustomed to questions about Saudi Arabia. In Singapore, he has noticed how much others already know.
Conversations may begin with Saudi Pro League stars, Red Sea destinations or the FIFA World Cup the Kingdom will host in 2034. “I am not the one raising these subjects; I am confirming them,” he says. “After years of explaining my country with pride, I find it remarkable that the world now speaks of its achievements first.”
His choice of Singapore is closely linked to his studies. Positioned beside the Strait of Malacca, the city-state has turned geography, strong regulation and reliability into the world’s largest container transshipment hub. For Abdulrahman, it provides a practical lesson in how efficient logistics systems earn global trust.
Saudi Arabia occupies a similarly important position between the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf, connecting Asia, Europe and Africa. Under Vision 2030, investments in ports, railways and industrial zones are strengthening the Kingdom’s role in global trade. Seeing Singapore’s mature system at work has brought ambitions previously encountered in lecture halls to life.
Beyond logistics, the exchange is personal. His family asks about Singapore’s skyline and new developments, while colleagues ask about Saudi coffee, Ramadan and Hajj. Many members of Singapore’s Muslim community have performed the pilgrimage or hope to do so.
“There is a particular pride in belonging to the country that receives them,” Abdulrahman says.
Working with international colleagues has broadened his outlook. “I have explained Saudi Arabia to Singaporeans and Singapore to Saudis in the same week, sometimes on the same day,” he says.
These everyday exchanges have reshaped his understanding of representation. It does not begin with a title or ceremony, but in conversations that arrive unexpectedly and matter more than they first appear.
For Abdulrahman, National Day abroad is both a celebration and a reminder: “A country is not something you leave behind at the airport. It travels with you, and it grows while you are gone. Ours has grown greatly.”
Source: IN Diplomacy Reporter
