Faisal, Emir of Makkah Region and Chairman of the Central Haj Committee, stressed that efforts to instill the sanctification of Makkah are intended to upgrade services provided to Haj and Umrah pilgrims. During a meeting Saturday of the Central Haj Committee, Prince Khaled said launching the national information campaign to enlighten the guests of Allah aims to activate the second pillar in the strategy for the development of Makkah region. This strategy aims to help people improve their skills so they can upgrade the standard of services provided to the guests of Allah. The government of King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, is proud of the honor of serving guests of Allah, he said, and works to ensure their comfort and that they are provided with what they need to perform their rituals with ease and peace of mind. Prince Khaled also lauded the development projects for the Grand Mosque and the holy sites. “A person who follows the services being provided to the guests of Allah will witness the distinctiveness and development in these projects, which are of concern to King Abdullah and are being followed up by him personally,” he said. He added, “The programs for the national information campaign for creating awareness among the guests of Allah aims to establish the culture of sanctifying Makkah during the Haj and Umrah seasons for all the guests of Allah, service providers and all individuals in the society through the launching of awareness campaigns, like ‘Haj is worship and civilized conduct.'” Prince Khaled stressed that these campaigns focus on respecting Makkah and its sanctity through sensing the city's responsibilities and importance, dealing politely and kindly with Umrah and Haj pilgrims, upgrading the standard of performance of those serving them and respecting the law through abidance by regulations and directives. He added that the program also stimulates the fifth pillar in the strategy for developing the region, which aims to achieve effective partnerships with the private sector, through program sponsorship by Mobily as a strategic partner and Zain as a supporting partner. Prince Khaled expressed thanks and appreciation to Mobily for sponsoring the campaign and working as a partner to create awareness, and to Zain for its sponsorship of the campaign as a supporting partner. “Their cooperation reflects that the companies are shouldering responsibility, sensing the greatness of the event and boosting constructive cooperation between the government and private sectors,” he said. Prince Khaled prayed that Allah accept the good deeds of the Umrah pilgrims who are enjoying their presence within the vicinity of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque. He wished them a good stay in the holiest land. Prince Khaled thanked all the workers including security men, civilians and volunteers for the huge efforts they are making with the determination of the strong believer to ensure the comfort and peace of mind of the guests of Allah. In a related development, Dr. Abdul Aziz Al-Khudhairi, undersecretary of Makkah Region's Governorate, told Okaz/Saudi Gazette that this year's information campaign focuses on cleanliness and getting rid of garbage. He added that the campaign, which focuses on providing services, would continue throughout the year and also target the Umrah sector. “We will evaluate the campaign at the end of the year and announce its costs and whether what has been spent deserved to be spent,” he said. Al-Khudhairi said the Central Haj Committee discussed the campaign, which is conducted under the Makkah Region Governorate's supervision. He reminded those present that awareness campaigns, which began three years ago, rely on a basic pillar that Haj and Umrah are worship and civilized conduct. He said the worship aspect is related to the Haj requirements. Regarding the aspect of civilized conduct, it is meant to alert Haj and Umrah pilgrims coming to Makkah to the city's importance and sanctity and the necessity to glorify the Grand Mosque. Al-Khudhairi, who added his thanks to Mobily and Zain for their contributions as sponsors, said previous campaigns had produced tangible results including a drop in the number of violators of Iqama regulations and a decrease in the number of small buses on the streets.He said that the overall process is a long one, that they are in the phase of 1000 miles and they have the determination to succeed.
