Saudi Press Agency Honoured With Media Excellence Award For Hajj Season 1445 AH Coverage

Sheikh Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Sudais, President of Religious Affairs at the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque, awarded the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) the Media Excellence Award for Hajj Season 1445 AH. The award ceremony took place at the presidency's headquarters in Makkah. This recognition highlights SPA's role in showcasing leadership efforts in serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims.

During the event, Sheikh Dr. Al-Sudais praised SPA for broadcasting the Arafat sermon in multiple languages to 621 million listeners globally. He also noted that SPA supported broadcasting the Eid Al-Adha sermon to 20 million beneficiaries through its digital platforms. These efforts were commended for enhancing the Hajj experience and creating a conducive worship environment.

Sheikh Dr. Al-Sudais emphasized the importance of media collaboration between SPA and the Presidency for Religious Affairs. He appreciated their portrayal of human stories of faith from the Two Holy Mosques and their effective communication of a moderate message to the world. He acknowledged their success in producing specialized videos about religious services at the Two Holy Mosques.

The Media Excellence Award was presented to Dr. Fahd Al Aqran, President of SPA, in front of several security leaders and partners involved in Hajj's success. Sheikh Dr. Al-Sudais stated, "In keenness of the Presidency for Religious Affairs at the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque to support media innovation and creativity...the presidency launched the Media Excellence Award for Hajj Season 1445 AH."

Sheikh Dr. Al-Sudais highlighted that SPA is one of the most successful agencies globally, promoting values like tolerance, moderation, and centrism. He elaborated on how the Presidency for Religious Affairs aims to achieve excellence in religious services, enabling pilgrims to perform rituals in a submissive environment aligned with governance and impact measurement principles.

A study by the presidency showed a 90.5 percent satisfaction rate among pilgrims regarding religious services during Hajj Season 1445 AH. This study concluded that standardized, governed religious services were provided professionally and institutionally, reflecting Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving pilgrims effectively.

Religious Enrichment Initiatives

Sheikh Dr. Al-Sudais mentioned over 120 religious enrichment initiatives launched during Hajj Season 1445 AH, along with 60 scientific programs. Nearly one million Qurans were distributed alongside half a million umbrellas, carpets, and more than a million religious books with translated Quran interpretations.

The combined efforts of various entities contributed significantly to this year's successful Hajj season. Sheikh Dr. Al-Sudais expressed gratitude towards these partners for their roles in achieving this success.

"The remarkable success achieved during the Hajj season was made possible only by the grace of Allah Almighty," said Sheikh Dr. Al-Sudais, acknowledging support from wise leadership and collective efforts to establish an integrated religious service system meeting global standards.

The presidency's ambition remains focused on achieving excellence in religious services while empowering pilgrims to perform rituals peacefully and easily.

With inputs from SPA