JEDDAH, 14 January 2003 — Scores of young Saudis have taken up the call made by governmental and private organizations for them to work helping pilgrims in Makkah, Madinah and the holy sites during the Haj season.
A new project to guide pilgrims at the holy sites has finished the first training course for around 1,500 youngsters, who held a graduation ceremony at the Scouts Camp in Jeddah on Sunday.
The course was run by a security company in collaboration with the Al-Boraq Institute for Travel and Tourism.
Col. Mohammad Saqqa, the general manager of the project, along with a number of senior figures from the Central Haj Committee, was there to mark the group’s graduation.
“The main aim of these projects is to create working opportunities for Saudi youths who can have the additional bonus of helping God’s guests,” said Abdullah Hawsawi, executive director of the project.
The services they offer includes escorting the pilgrims to buses at the Haj Terminal and then traveling with them to Madinah, Makkah and the holy sites. They will help pilgrims to their camps, locate lost belongings, and ensure safety and security equipment is operated properly.
Special shuttles are being run by the security company to transfer the guides and supervisors from the Haj Terminal to Madinah, Makkah and the holy sites.
Al-Hawsawi explained that the guides are considered as Saudi representatives of their country.
