Ministers, officials and members of the public have expressed their views on the fourth anniversary of King Abdullah's ascension to the throne, with terms such as “education renaissance,” “historic age” and “unlimited support” at the fore. The anniversary of the Pledge of Allegiance, on the 26th of the month of Jamad Al-Thani – this year corresponding to June 19 – was described earlier in the week as “an important historical event” by Mohammed Bin Ali Al-Fayez, Minister of Civil Service. “The Kingdom under the leadership of King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, has surpassed all aspirations in the various domains of life,” Al-Fayez said. “It has attained unmatched achievements in the international political domain as well as in economic, social, educational and health fields.” Al-Fayez praised the King's attention to the civil service during his tenure and cited the appointment of over 100,000 employees to permanent positions, and new regulations benefiting over 200,000 teachers. “I would like to congratulate everyone along with our wise leadership on this happy occasion,” Al-Fayez said. Ghazi Al-Gosaibi, Minister of Labor, spoke of King Abdullah's support for the fight against poverty and his promotion of the acquisition of knowledge through launching an “unprecedented campaign sending our youth to all parts of the world in their quest for work and knowledge, and in the creation of universities and institutes making the Kingdom a huge workshop for human development projects.” Abdullah Bin Ahmad Zainal Alireza, Minister of Trade and Industry, described the King as overseeing the “transition from the oil age to the age of gas,” and further spoke of the King's “political understanding grown out of Islamic morals and Arab values, notably in relation to moderation, openness and dialogue with others, earning him great international respect.” “The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques clearly confirms in his speeches the importance of issues such as Islamic unity, the renaissance of the Ummah, and the return to former glories through the acquisition of science and knowledge,” Alireza said. “We are living in an historic age of maturity, development and construction,” said Prince Faisal Bin Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz, “which has extended to all areas and people of the nation.” “The title of ‘The Humanitarian Kingdom' has not come out of nowhere,” Prince Faisal continued, “but is the result of accumulated inheritance and day-to-day work through humanitarian initiatives visible in diverse charity organizations working with the handicapped, the orphaned, the widowed, the aged, the sick, the imprisoned, the poor and many others,” Prince Faisal said. Prince Mohammed Bin Sa'ad Bin Abdul Aziz, Adviser to the Minister of Interior, said that the King since assuming his position had issued numerous beneficial decisions. “Those decisions, in economic, social and humanitarian fields, have sent a clear message concerning the policy of this nation in the service of the religion and issues concerning the Islamic Ummah,” Prince Mohammed said. “They have formulated a cultural renaissance and found a balance between its development and adherence to its religious and moral values,” he added. “Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques has since taking power become an inspiration for his nation. This flourishing age has seen numerous achievements, notably in the fight against terrorism,” he said. A number of educators and security personnel told Saudi Press Agency that King Abdullah had given the Kingdom eminent status both regionally and internationally through following the principles of peace, security, justice and the preservation of human rights. Fawaz Al-Shehri, King Saud University deputy president, spoke of students' “joy at the King's concern for them”, and his “creating opportunities for study both here and abroad to enable them to contribute in the building of their society and their country.” “Higher education has now been brought to all regions of the Kingdom, through the building of universities and educational institutes,” Al-Shehri said, describing the process as an “academic renaissance.” Ahmed Bin Mohammed Al-Saif, head of Hail University, praised King Abdullah for his “unlimited support” across the educational board. “I would make special mention of that same unlimited support for scientific and technological specialties,” Al-Saif said. Mohammed Al-Issa, Minister of Justice, spoke of the numerous achievements made during King Abdullah's tenure, making particular mention of the development of government bodies, notably the King's “extensive and ambitious project to develop the judiciary.” Faisal Bin Abdullah, Minister of Education, said the anniversary of the Pledge of Allegiance was an important national occasion. “Here we renew the promise to continue our efforts to realize the King's aspirations and hopes for the nation which has today a pioneering status among nations as the heart of the Islamic World,” the minister said. “Educators would like to use this occasion to help our children understand the meaning of pledging allegiance,” the minister continued. “We should be a role model for them, to stoke in them the passion for the acquisition of knowledge and develop their optimism and hopes.” “In the Kingdom today we have some 500,000 teachers responsible for the education of around five million students,” Abdullah noted. “Education is at the very top of the Kingdom's priorities. We are eager to realize King Abdullah's dream of producing a knowledge-based society.” A number of members of the public spoke to the Saudi Press Agency ahead of the occasion of the fourth anniversary of the Pledge of Allegiance and achievements which stood out for them, citing care for orphans, widows and the poor as well as concern for Muslims' issues, and the King's support to Muslim brothers everywhere. They also noted that the Kingdom was one of the least affected nations in the world by the economic crisis. Ahead of the anniversary of the Pledge of Allegiance local press noted the achievements of King Abdullah over the past four years, describing the pledge as a unique linking of the people and leader. __
