Saudi Youth: Kingdom rolls out reforms for needs of younger generation

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To Saudi Arabia now, the Kingdom racing to satisfy its young population of some 33 million people. Failure, its rulers worry, could be explosive. CGTN's Guy Henderson reports from Riyadh.

The "Underground Fellaz Crew" is their name. And yet – in today's Saudi Arabia – they are no longer underground. These hip-hop moves could have gotten these young dancers arrested in the old era.

FAHAD MOUSSAH UNDERGROUND FELLAZ CREW "We used to, you know, back in the day, when the cops come. Oh man! Leave everything – your phone and everything – and just run man! FAST!"

Saudi youth is being given room to breathe as reforms take hold though that is not their only concern.

GUY HENDERSON RIYADH "Two-thirds of Saudi Arabia's population is under the age of 30 with some 5 million more due to enter the workforce over the course of the next decade or so. That's a lot of productivity, if there are enough jobs. If there aren't, it's potentially a time bomb."

Some in past generations chose another path: Jihad. In the 1980s, thousands traveled to Afghanistan to fight the Soviets alongside the Mujahedeen. In the decades after, shifting their focus with historic consequences.

15 of the 9/11 hijackers were Saudi citizens. As, of course, was Osama Bin Laden himself. In the wake of the attacks, the state fought fire with fire to destroy al Qaeda's ideology at home. More recently, it's started employing an altogether different approach.

This is art therapist Fahad Sultan. He works at the Mohammad Bin Naif Centre for de-radicalizing convicted terrorists or as they call them here, beneficiaries.

FAHAD SULTAN ART THERAPIST "Drawing gives the beneficiaries a way how to eliminate the conflicts."

They are kept at arm's length during our tour. Busy with teams of experts: preparing them for a return to the real world. Psychologist Sammi al Duri tells us simply talking plays an important role.

SAMMI AL DURI SENIOR CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST, MOHAMMAD BIN NAIF CENTER "Changing the idea is very important to changing the behavior."

Changes, it's hoped, the 2030 generation may never have to make. GH, CGTN, Riyadh.