Saudi Crown Prince's viral thank you gesture to Trump could soon be an emoji

When US President Donald Trump made an announcement to lift sanctions on Syria during his recent Middle-East tour, it was Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince’s reaction that caught everyone's attention.

Expressing gratitude to Trump, Mohammed bin Salman had placed his hands on his chest — a gesture that spread all over Saudi and Arabic social media with people recreating it in images and videos.

Now, MBS’ viral gesture could soon become an emoji.

Saudi software engineer Ali Al-Mutairi has submitted a proposal to the Unicode Consortium for the creation of a new hand-on-the-chest emoji inspired by the Saudi Crown Prince.

Sharing his motivation for proposing the emoji, Al-Mutairi told Khaleej Times: "It was a sincere moment that caught the world's attention, and I felt it deserved to be immortalised in the language of the era: emoji. This gesture has become popular and is now used to express deep appreciation in many humanitarian situations."

Al-Mutairi said the emoji's design, reflecting Saudi and Gulf values of gratitude and respect while adapting to the region’s evolving digital expressions, has officially been submitted to the Unicode Consortium in accordance with approved standards.

He emphasised, "Many cultures are already represented in emojis, such as the Japanese kimono, the Indian sari, and the Russian matryoshka doll. Now it’s time for Saudi and Gulf cultures to be recognised in this global language."

The proposal is currently under review by Unicode and has generated unprecedented interaction on social media, with one of Al-Mutairi’s tweets about the emoji amassing over 3.2 million views in less than 24 hours.

For Al-Mutairi, the creation of this emoji is also about ensuring that it is available for global use. "This type of project represents us all, and it’s worth joining forces to deliver our symbols and culture to global platforms, in our own language and with our own unique touch."

Symbol of appreciation and solidarity

People across Saudi Arabia, as well as Syrians and others across the Arab world, recreated the move in videos and pictures, making it an iconic symbol of appreciation and solidarity.

Saudis, in particular, showcased their admiration by sharing videos and photos mimicking the gesture, a powerful expression of pride and respect for their leadership. Syrians, too, joined in, using the same gesture to celebrate the Crown Prince’s support for the lifting of sanctions on Syria.

One Syrian expat, Basel Al-Hamwi, based in Sharjah, said the decision meant a lot to Syrians all over the world. He expressed deep gratitude toward Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for his role in supporting the lifting of sanctions on Syria. "This moment meant so much to us," he said.

"After years of hardship, seeing a regional leader like the Crown Prince stand in support of Syria gave us hope again. It wasn’t just a political gesture,it felt personal, like someone was finally acknowledging our pain and offering a hand."

Basel added that the viral hand-on-the-chest gesture symbolised that support perfectly, and many Syrians saw it as "a sign of sincere solidarity that we’ll never forget."

Cultural identity

On social media platform X, user @fathi_adawi described the Crown Prince's gesture as one that transcended its original context to embody the warmth and generosity that have long defined Saudi culture. He stated, "This greeting, combining human warmth and deep appreciation, was not merely a fleeting gesture but transformed into an expressive icon emulated by young and old alike."

The movement resonated deeply, with many people, from young to old, emulating the gesture, and it quickly became a viral expression of unity and love for the nation and its leadership.

As @fathi_adawi continued, "The Crown Prince’s greeting is not just a movement of hands; it is a message of love and unity, demonstrating how leaders can inspire their people with simple gestures carrying profound meanings. Since that day, this greeting has become a slogan reflecting the Kingdom’s renewed spirit and a bridge connecting generations in a splendid scene pulsating with pride and belonging."