I was impressed by the Makkah Road Initiative, which I heard about two years ago, but I did not pay much attention to the details of the project until the announcement that Tunisian pilgrims were being included in the initiative this year. I started investigating the changes the program is making for pilgrims, and I found that there is a big difference in the quality of services and facilities being provided for those performing Haj from the time of departure from their countries until they arrive in Saudi Arabia, where they find buses waiting to take them to their accommodation without any waiting at the airport. The Makkah Road Initiative does not stop at this point; it is an integrated service from the moment any person decides to perform Haj and the visa is issued, and the health requirements of the pilgrim are checked. The beauty about the initiative, which was launched two years ago by the Ministry of the Interior in cooperation with the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Health, Haj, Umrah, Customs and Civil Aviation, and the National Information Center, is that it is expanding every year. The first year started with two countries, Malaysia and Indonesia, and it now also includes Pakistan, Bangladesh and Tunisia. We are sure that next year more countries will join the initiative in order to include as many pilgrims as possible. The services provided by the initiative speak for themselves, and the happiness of pilgrims and their joy in performing their religious rites with ease in our country is our biggest prize. Saudi Arabia is blessed with the great honor of serving pilgrims, and we see the love of people from all around the globe and their satisfaction and blessing in being able to perform Haj and Umrah.
