Know About 'Lavender Carpet' Saudi Rolled Out Welcoming US President (image-X/KSAmofaEN)
Unlike the traditional red carpet, long established as the global standard for presidential welcomes, Saudi Arabia blended tradition with subtle modern flair by laying a visually serene lavender carpet to welcome U.S. President Donald Trump.
Following his re-election, Donald Trump scheduled the diplomatic tour of the Middle East. On Tuesday morning, as part of the three-day tour, he arrived in Riyadh. Aside from the short visit to Rome for the funeral of Pope Francis, this is Trump’s first official trip.
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He was given a cordial reception by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman personally, who stepped off Air Force One onto the luxurious purple carpet. The carpet has become a symbolic element of Saudi’s ceremonial tradition, which was introduced in 2021.
The lavender carpets are identical to the colour of the Kingdom’s deserts and plateaus in the spring, when they are decorated with the colour of lavender flowers and other plants such as Desert Germander and basil, which together form a natural violet.
Bringing in the traditional art of Sadu weaving on the edges of the carpets, it becomes one of the prominent Saudi cultural elements. According to UNESCO, traditional weaving of Sadu refers to the conventional woven textile made by Bedouin women.
The initiative was taken as a cooperation between the Kingdom’s Ministry of Culture and Saudi Arabia’s Royal Protocol. According to the Saudi Press Agency, the lavender carpets symbolise a “state of renewal, growth, and renaissance” in line with the country’s Vision 2030 Agenda.
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Meanwhile, the U.S. President, speaking in Riyadh, had pledged to lift all sanctions against Syria, saying it was now time for the country to move forward with a “chance at greatness.” After the completion of the first day of the tour, the U.S. had signed an arms deal with Saudi Arabia of $142 billion, as well as other investments that the Crown Prince said could eventually be worth $1 trillion.
