--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think our initiative with respect to…" description: "\"I think our initiative with respect to education and economic development can work in Saudi Arabia and it is up to the Saudis to decide how they wish t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31b/colin-powell-691_21st-century_i-think-our-initiative-with-respect-to-e_1215771.jpg" --- # I think our initiative with respect to education and… ![“I think our initiative with respect to education and economic development can work in Saudi Arabia and it is up to the Saudis to decide how they wish to transform their society in order to make it prepared for the challenges of the 21st century.” quote by Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31b/colin-powell-691_21st-century_i-think-our-initiative-with-respect-to-e_1215771.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31b/colin-powell-691_21st-century_i-think-our-initiative-with-respect-to-e_1215771.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31b/colin-powell-691_21st-century_i-think-our-initiative-with-respect-to-e_1215771.jpg) > “I think our initiative with respect to education and economic development can work in Saudi Arabia and it is up to the Saudis to decide how they wish to transform their society in order to make it prepared for the challenges of the 21st century.” [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Education and economic development are keys to modernizing Saudi society. **In simple terms:** Education drives progress. Key Takeaway Invest in education and economy. Themes development education policy Mood optimistic strategic Type policy inspirational When to use this quote - government planning - NGO projects - educational reform Key Concepts economics social change Questions to Reflect On - What steps can Saudi leaders take now? - How to measure development success? A Different Perspective Implementation depends on political will. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arabia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arabia/) [Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Economic development](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economic-development/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Initiative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/initiative/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Saudi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saudi/) [Saudis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saudis/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) ## Related quotes > [ I think we can make a contribution to their \[Saudi Arabia\] thinking as they decide how they should deal with the economic and social… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/i-think-we-can-make-a-contribution-to-their-saudi-arabia-thinking-as/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [I understand that and I have had very candid discussions with Saudi leaders in the past. I respect their culture and their heritage and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/i-understand-that-and-i-have-had-very-candid-discussions-with-saudi/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [Saudi Arabia will have to decide its own path, and I don't know if it will decide a path like any other nation in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/saudi-arabia-will-have-to-decide-its-own-path-and-i-don-t-know-if-it/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [We are not shrinking from talking to Saudis or anyone else in the region, but it is up to each nation in the region…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/we-are-not-shrinking-from-talking-to-saudis-or-anyone-else-in-the/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [ We are not dictating. We are not telling them \[Saudi Arabia\] how they should do it or who they should look like. We are… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/we-are-not-dictating-we-are-not-telling-them-saudi-arabia-how-they/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [I'm very careful not to isolate Israel on this but to make this part of a transformed foreign policy where we apply the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/i-m-very-careful-not-to-isolate-israel-on-this-but-to-make-this-part/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [Saudi Arabia has lost one of its dutiful sons, a leader among the most dear of its leaders and men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosni-mubarak/saudi-arabia-has-lost-one-of-its-dutiful-sons-a-leader-among-the-most/) [Hosni Mubarak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosni-mubarak/) > [The efficient use of energy is as much an issue for Saudi Arabia, with its huge natural resources, as it is for all countries.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-al-naimi/the-efficient-use-of-energy-is-as-much-an-issue-for-saudi-arabia-with/) Ali al-Naimi > [India is the Saudi Arabia of human resources for the 21st century. The power that we used to get from oil in 20th century,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahul-gandhi/india-is-the-saudi-arabia-of-human-resources-for-the-21st-century-the/) [Rahul Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahul-gandhi/) > [Why is it that the U.S. has to take refugees? Why doesn't Saudi Arabia take more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-t-flynn/why-is-it-that-the-u-s-has-to-take-refugees-why-doesn-t-saudi-arabia/) [Michael T. Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-t-flynn/) > [Making Saudi Arabia a world judge on women's rights and religious freedom would be like naming a pyromaniac as the town fire chief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillel-neuer/making-saudi-arabia-a-world-judge-on-women-s-rights-and-religious/) Hillel Neuer > [Over the last few years they have done a superb job in their fight against al-Qaida. As you may recall, our embassy in Jedda…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-petraeus/over-the-last-few-years-they-have-done-a-superb-job-in-their-fight/) [David Petraeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-petraeus/) > [You become an anti-Semite. And as powerful as the Israeli lobby is, the Saudi lobby is just as powerful. In fact, the Saudis probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scheuer/you-become-an-anti-semite-and-as-powerful-as-the-israeli-lobby-is-the/) [Michael Scheuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scheuer/) > [I lived in Saudi Arabia in the late 1970s. It was, for a Westerner, pretty idyllic. There were the religious police; there were the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lacey/i-lived-in-saudi-arabia-in-the-late-1970s-it-was-for-a-westerner/) [Robert Lacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lacey/) > [In Saudi Arabia, among other countries, Muslims are not free to convert to Christianity, and Christians are not free to practice their faith. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibn-warraq/in-saudi-arabia-among-other-countries-muslims-are-not-free-to-convert/) [Ibn Warraq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibn-warraq/) ## More by Colin Powell > [Failure is a part of life and you have to learn to deal with it. Failure is something that is part of life's cycle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/failure-is-a-part-of-life-and-you-have-to-learn-to-deal-with-it/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [Effective leaders are made, not born. They learn from trial and error, and from experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/effective-leaders-are-made-not-born-they-learn-from-trial-and-error/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [Decision-making is lonely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/decision-making-is-lonely/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [The purposes of the United States should not be doubted. The Security Council resolutions will be enforced - the just demands of peace and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/the-purposes-of-the-united-states-should-not-be-doubted-the-security/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [I always like to take my time and examine the two candidates, see not only the two candidates but the policies they will bring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/i-always-like-to-take-my-time-and-examine-the-two-candidates-see-not/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [We can seldom get our children to do what we tell them, but they almost never fail to imitate us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/we-can-seldom-get-our-children-to-do-what-we-tell-them-but-they/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [With respect to where we are now, we have a voluntary army. And if we ever go back to conscription I hope that at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/with-respect-to-where-we-are-now-we-have-a-voluntary-army-and-if-we/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [Politics is not bean bags. It's serious, tough stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/politics-is-not-bean-bags-it-s-serious-tough-stuff/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [There are no secrets to success: don't waste time looking for them, success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/there-are-no-secrets-to-success-don-t-waste-time-looking-for-them/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [So like any football or basketball coach, you always always believe you're going to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/so-like-any-football-or-basketball-coach-you-always-always-believe/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [We hope that more assistance will be available to the nations of the region, to include Egypt, on the three pillars that I discussed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/we-hope-that-more-assistance-will-be-available-to-the-nations-of-the/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [One of the most worrisome things that emerges from the thick intelligence file we have on Iraq's biological weapons is the existence of mobile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/one-of-the-most-worrisome-things-that-emerges-from-the-thick/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [Pissing people off doesn't mean you're doing the right things, but doing the right things will almost inevitably piss people off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/pissing-people-off-doesn-t-mean-you-re-doing-the-right-things-but/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [The less you associate with some people, the more your life will improve. Any time you tolerate mediocrity in others, it increases your mediocrity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/the-less-you-associate-with-some-people-the-more-your-life-will/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [Be careful what you choose: You may get it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/be-careful-what-you-choose-you-may-get-it/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) [Explore all 408 Colin Powell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) ## More 21st century quotes > [The young people today are the 21st century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-scorsese/the-young-people-today-are-the-21st-century/) [Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-scorsese/) > [“You know it’s the 21st Century when someone TEXTS you from the washroom to ask you to bring them a roll of toilet paper.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/comic-strip-mama/you-know-it-s-the-21st-century-when-someone-texts-you-from-the/) Comic Strip Mama > [“I am made of a thousand ghosts. Only you can shoot me down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-james/i-am-made-of-a-thousand-ghosts-only-you-can-shoot-me-down/) Bella James > [Like many others, I have deep misgivings about the state of education in the United States. Too many of our students fail to graduate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/like-many-others-i-have-deep-misgivings-about-the-state-of-education/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Undeniably, character does count for our citizens, out communities, and our Nation, and this week we celebrate the importance of character in our individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/undeniably-character-does-count-for-our-citizens-out-communities-and/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [The hope of Internet anarchists was that repressive governments would have only two options: accept the Internet with its limitless possibilities of spreading information,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/the-hope-of-internet-anarchists-was-that-repressive-governments-would/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [Maybe we need a tax credit for the poorest Americans to buy a laptop. Now, maybe that's wrong, maybe that's expensive, maybe we can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/newt-gingrich/maybe-we-need-a-tax-credit-for-the-poorest-americans-to-buy-a-laptop/) [Newt Gingrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/newt-gingrich/) > [The 20th century has been marked by cynicism, selfishness, greed, and the desire to please, all without changing the status quo. In the 21st…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scar-arias/the-20th-century-has-been-marked-by-cynicism-selfishness-greed-and/) [Óscar Arias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scar-arias/) > [I firmly believe that the mission of religion in the 21st century must be to contribute concretely to the peaceful coexistence of humankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisaku-ikeda/i-firmly-believe-that-the-mission-of-religion-in-the-21st-century/) [Daisaku Ikeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisaku-ikeda/) > [Facebook, Twitter...Welcome to The 21st Century...Where Someone can stalk you without leaving the couch!..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/facebook-twitter-welcome-to-the-21st-century-where-someone-can-stalk/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Human Race is all over universe! And I am the first person to inform you. I am the most influential person of this decade…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashwani-kumar-ojha/human-race-is-all-over-universe-and-i-am-the-first-person-to-inform/) [Ashwani Kumar Ojha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashwani-kumar-ojha/) > [Like the railroads that brought us together in the 19th century, these trails will bring us together in the 20th and 21st centuries. (at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/like-the-railroads-that-brought-us-together-in-the-19th-century-these/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [What I love about making albums in the 21st century is that so few people buy albums! I can make an album without any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/what-i-love-about-making-albums-in-the-21st-century-is-that-so-few/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [As a former Apollo astronaut, I think it's safe to say that SpaceX and the other commercial developers embody the 21st century version of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rusty-schweickart/as-a-former-apollo-astronaut-i-think-it-s-safe-to-say-that-spacex-and/) [Rusty Schweickart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rusty-schweickart/) > [The computer provides the only way to give students a real foundation in 21st-century skills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-negroponte/the-computer-provides-the-only-way-to-give-students-a-real-foundation/) [Nicholas Negroponte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-negroponte/) Browse all 771 21st century quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think our initiative with respect to education and economic development can work in Saudi Arabia and it is up to the Saudis to decide how they wish to transform their society in order to make it prepared for the challenges of the 21st century.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Colin Powell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/i-think-our-initiative-with-respect-to-education-and-economic/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "21st century" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/i-think-our-initiative-with-respect-to-education-and-economic/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31b/colin-powell-691_21st-century_i-think-our-initiative-with-respect-to-e_1215771.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31b/colin-powell-691_21st-century_i-think-our-initiative-with-respect-to-e_1215771.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31b/colin-powell-691_21st-century_i-think-our-initiative-with-respect-to-e_1215771.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think our initiative with respect to education and economic development can work in Saudi Arabia and it is…” — Colin Powell", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Colin Powell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think our initiative with respect...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/i-think-our-initiative-with-respect-to-education-and-economic/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/i-think-our-initiative-with-respect-to-education-and-economic/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```