Riyadh – A family dispute determined the journey of Saudi Shihana Alazzaz, who has made her mark in the legal world.

Alazzaz recently showcased her experience in Salt Lake City in the United States as part of the “Bridges to Saudi Arabia” initiative launched by the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture in cooperation with the Middle East Institute in the United States.

The initiative is aimed at finding positive action in the American cultural and educational circles by introducing the Saudi elite to American society, so it becomes more familiar with the Saudis’ distinctness in the fields of knowledge.

During the event, the young Saudi lawyer spoke about her entry into the legal field, which began unofficially at the age of 16, when she was forced to plead a family case. This took place before Saudi women were allowed to practice law in Saudi Arabia.

She said this incident was a great incentive for her to study law and to obtain her license in 2013.

Alazzaz is considered among the first Saudi women who have been enrolled in this field.

The US event also included an interactive discussion in which Alazzaz discussed the difficulties and obstacles she faced during her career. She also talked about the development of Saudi women’s in the workforce, the opportunities they have to play an efficient role in various areas and the impact of globalization on this role.

Alazzaz worked on many initiatives to motivate Saudi women to enter the legal profession, including the 450-member “Ambition” (Toumouh) initiative, and she is currently working on building channels of communication between youth.

The “Bridges to Saudi Arabia” initiative includes four programs: Saudi Art Galleries, which are held at the most prominent museums and art centers, the “Bridges of Dialogue”, which presents Saudi elites to American society, and the Saudi Film Festival to celebrate Saudi filmmakers by screening their films in international festivals, and the “comedy tour” that highlights Saudi comic shows.