MADINAH, 31 July 2007 — The Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice in Madinah began this week a series of summer activities aimed at reaching out to the youth and teaching them Islamic principles.
The activities, which are entitled “Discover Happiness by Yourself,” began earlier this week and will run for 10 days. “They are taking place in the Al-Sultana District of Madinah. The activities include lectures, quizzes and fun events,” said Sulaiman Al-Tuwaijri, head of the commission in Madinah.
He added that activities begin after Maghrib prayers. Children’s activities end at 11 p.m. and youth activities end at 3 a.m. Al-Tuwaijri also encouraged parents to bring their children to the events. He added that gifts are distributed to participants.
Talking about the aim of the programs, Al-Tuwaijri said, “The main aim is to increase awareness among the youth regarding Islamic principles and to highlight what is wrong. We aim at solving the social, religious and psychological problems faced by youngsters. The activities aim to show the youth the path of future success.”
Abdullah Al-Zahrani, the general supervisor of the events, said that the commission hopes to provide an opportunity for youths to enjoy their summer and invest their time in something useful.
“We have selected the location of the activities close to areas where youths gather in order to attract them. It is much better for youth to attend these events than go around in malls, which may put them in trouble with the authorities,” said Al-Zahrani.
Summer activities were held last year in the form of a series of campaigns that would change locations. However, the commission decided this year to hold its activities in a fixed location.
