Ijlal initiative to benefit, honor elderly pilgrims
Ijlal initiative to benefit, honor elderly pilgrims/node/2222876/saudi-arabia
Ijlal initiative to benefit, honor elderly pilgrims
The program is an initiative of the Field Awareness Affairs Agency, represented by the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques. (@ReasahAlharmain)
Ijlal initiative to benefit, honor elderly pilgrims
“It is our duty, as volunteers, to provide all the necessary services to ensure that visitors spend a wonderful time in the Kingdom”: Shoudry
Updated 27 December 2022
Tareq Al-Thaqafi
MAKKAH: For the benefit of elderly pilgrims, a program called Ijlal has been implemented to provide guidance on rituals, facilitate services and direct them toward designated prayer halls.
The program is an initiative of the Field Awareness Affairs Agency, represented by the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques.
Director of the Grand Mosque Authority Sheikh Mohammed bin Ahmed Shehithi explained that the Shariah urges Muslims to be kind and gentle, especially toward the elderly.
Shehithi told Arab News that the initiative came at the directive of the head of the general presidency, Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Sudais.
Regular follow-ups are conducted by the agency’s Undersecretary Majid Al-Saeedi to ensure all services are being efficiently implemented.
Rania Shoudry, a volunteer at the Grand Mosque in Makkah, said: “Volunteer work reinforces many moral and humanitarian concepts that Islam urges us to follow…(such as) serving pilgrims by honoring and respecting the elderly who have traveled to perform their rituals.
“It is our duty, as volunteers, to provide all the necessary services to ensure that visitors spend a wonderful time in the Kingdom.”
She stressed that serving pilgrims, particularly the elderly, is an honor volunteers are eager to fulfill throughout the year, especially during the month of Ramadan.
Providing such services has a positive impact that leaves a lasting memory in the hearts of pilgrims, said Shoudry.
World Food Program praises Saudi Arabia for its invaluable support
Regional director of UN body visits Riyadh to give update on humanitarian efforts
Saudi Arabia was WFP’s fifth-biggest donor in 2018, 2019
Updated 21 min 3 sec ago
Rashid Hassan
RIYADH: A senior official with the UN World Food Program has praised Saudi Arabia for its invaluable support in fighting poverty and food insecurity across the region and beyond.
Corinne Fleischer, regional director for the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe, told Arab News that the relationship between the Kingdom and the WFP dated back more than 45 years and that contributions made through the King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian Aid had helped to save lives in Yemen, Syria and elsewhere.
In 2008, the Kingdom announced a $500 million grant to the WFP which had enabled it “to complete its relief projects and provide food to millions of people affected by high prices,” she said.
Fleischer said Saudi Arabia was the fifth-largest donor to the WFP in 2018 and 2019. (Supplied)
“In 2014, Saudi Arabia contributed more than $200 million to provide food for displaced families in Iraq, Syrian refugees in various countries, as well as refugees from South Sudan and Somalia. WFP’s food assistance and continued support from donors kept famine at bay for years. Very recently, they helped eradicate famine-like conditions for an estimated 161,000 people in Yemen.”
Fleischer said that the Kingdom was the WFP’s fifth-largest donor in both 2018 and 2019.
HIGHLIGHT
With global food prices at an all-time high, the UN agency is concerned about the impact of the Ukraine crisis on food security around the world, official said.
“We are working closely with KSrelief to continuously improve our collaboration and strengthen partnership. We rely on the Kingdom’s support to help WFP achieve its mission not only in the region but beyond. Our partnership is built on jointly addressing some of the most pressing humanitarian challenges with a methodical approach that supports WFP’s agenda while also reflecting the Kingdom’s priorities in this space,” she added.
With global food prices at an all-time high, the UN agency was concerned about the impact of the Ukraine crisis on food security around the world, Fleischer said.
Fleischer said Saudi Arabia was the fifth-largest donor to the WFP in 2018 and 2019. (Supplied)
“The consequences of the conflict in Ukraine are radiating outward, triggering a wave of collateral hunger that is spreading across the globe.”
Ukraine and Russia are responsible for a combined 29 percent of the global wheat trade.
Fleischer said that the humanitarian crisis in Yemen was one of the worst in the world and that more than half its population was now facing food insecurity. Skyrocketing prices had pushed the number of people there in need of food assistance to 17.4 million and the situation was set to get worse, she added.
Yemen depends almost entirely on food imports, with 31 percent of its wheat shipments coming from Ukraine over the past three months.
Fleischer said Saudi Arabia was the fifth-largest donor to the WFP in 2018 and 2019. (Supplied)
Egypt, which is the world’s largest buyer of wheat, also relied heavily on subsidized imports to ensure affordable access to bread and vegetable oil for more than 70 million of its people, the official said.
The situation was similar in Lebanon, which sourced 80 percent of its wheat imports from Ukraine and had seen food prices soar due to conflict, Fleischer said.
“Food and fuel price increases have an impact on our operations in the sense that it costs more to bring in the same amount of food into a country,” she said.
“The global food price increases resulted in WFP Yemen incurring an additional cost of approximately $10 million each month in 2022. On another level, the Ukraine crisis is making a bad funding situation worse. WFP’s meager resources for operations in Yemen and Syria especially will be under even more pressure than before.
“WFP is actively working to raise these funds. We are doing everything possible to mobilize world attention and support — through governments, the private sector and individuals — to stave off drastic measures”.
Fleischer is leading a delegation to Riyadh to provide an update on the humanitarian situation in the region. While in the city she met Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah, supervisor general of KSrelief, to discuss ways for young Saudis to engage with the WFP through the Misk Foundation.
The delegates also met the leaders of the Evacuation and Humanitarian Operations Cell to express their thanks for its continued support for the WFP’s work in Yemen.
Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs launches Ramadan gift programs in Jakarta
Al-Hazmi explained that, thanks to the King Salman Iftar Program, thousands of meals had been distributed to people across Indonesia
Updated 13 sec ago
Arab News
RIYADH: The Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance, represented by the religious attache at the Kingdom’s Embassy in Indonesia, inaugurated today the King Salman Gift Program to distribute copies of the Holy Qur’an and boxes of dates, and the Iftar Program for those fasting.
The event took place at the headquarters of the attache in Jakarta, in the presence of the Saudi ambassador to Indonesia, Faisal bin Abdullah Al-Amoudi, the Kingdom’s religious attache, Dr. Ahmed bin Ali Al-Hazmi, and several senior Islamic figures in Indonesia.
Ambassador Al-Amoudi stressed that these efforts are an extension of the Kingdom’s role in serving Islam and Muslims all over the world, especially Indonesia, the largest Islamic country by population.
He noted that these gifts from King Salman come in the context of promoting the humanitarian and Islamic work of the Kingdom. Al-Amoudi added that the Indonesian government and people appreciate and respect Saudi Arabia, its leadership and the Saudi people.
Al-Hazmi explained that, thanks to the King Salman Iftar Program, thousands of meals had been distributed to people across Indonesia.
He noted that the number of beneficiaries from the dates program had reached 55,000 people, encompassing 80 tons of dates. Those benefiting from the Iftar Program amount to 150,000, and 88,500 copies of the Holy Qur’an will be distributed.
Al-Hazmi stressed that Muslims all over the world anticipate these programs annually with passion, love, and appreciation.
These programs are an implementation of King Salman’s directives to distribute one million copies of the Holy Qur’an and numerous tons of dates to people during Ramadan in 2023, as a culmination of the efforts made by the Kingdom in caring for Muslims around the world.
Saudi Arabia’s GEA launches Eid Al-Fitr 2023 activities with new logo
General Entertainment Authority said in a statement to Arab News that the new logo and corresponding program aim to capture the feelings of joy associated with Eid Al-Fitr
Updated 42 min 40 sec ago
Rashid Hassan
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority has launched Eid Al-Fitr 2023 with a new logo, characterized by elements and colors that represent both the celebrations and Saudi culture.
Eid Al-Fitr 2023 activities will include fireworks, parties, and other events with the aim of celebrating the season and encouraging the Saudi private sector to contribute to developing entertainment options for the community.
GEA, established in line with the Saudi Vision 2030 objective of developing the entertainment sector in the Kingdom, said in a statement to Arab News that the new logo and corresponding program aim to capture the feelings of joy associated with Eid Al-Fitr — from buying new clothes to gathering with friends and family.
GEA has issued a guide for the Eid Al-Fitr activities, which can be viewed via the link: https://eid.gea.gov.sa/
GEA supports the Kingdom’s economy by contributing to its diversification, increasing the gross domestic product, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, and raising foreign direct investment in the entertainment sector.
Prophet’s Mosque to hand out 2m Zamzam bottles to female visitors
Drinks will enable women to perform their worship in comfort
Updated 24 March 2023
Arab News
MADINAH: The Women’s Affairs Agency at the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Prophet’s Mosque has provided 2 million Zamzam water bottles to be distributed to female visitors during Ramadan.
Over 1,000 female employees from the agency and companies operating at the mosque, as well as 22 teams of volunteers will serve the drinks to enable visitors to perform their worship in comfort, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Friday.
The women’s agency stressed its keenness to provide support to female visitors and its ongoing coordination with all participants to improve the services provided at the Prophet’s Mosque.
Malaysian Prime Minister arrives in Madinah to offer prayers at Prophet’ Mosque
Ibrahim arrived in Madinah having left Jeddah earlier on Friday
Updated 24 March 2023
Arab News
MADINAH: Malaysian Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim, arrived in Madinah on Friday to pay a visit to the Prophet's Mosque and to perform prayers.
Upon his arrival at Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah, the Malaysian PM was received by Prince Saud bin Khalid Al-Faisal, deputy governor of Madinah region, and commander of Madinah region, Major General Fahd bin Saud Al-Juhani, in addition to several senior officials.
Ibrahim arrived in Madinah having left Jeddah earlier on Friday.
On Thursday, Ibrahim and his accompanying delegation met with Dr. Mohammed Sulaiman Al-Jasser, president of the Islamic Development Bank Group.
Al-Jasser said that the meeting reflected Malaysia’s strong relations with the IsDB, referencing the historic agreement signed by Ibrahim — who was deputy prime minister at the time — and the bank in 1994.
