A memorandum of cooperation was signed yesterday in Jeddah between the Guests of the Rahman Service Program, a key initiative of Saudi Vision 2030, and the Saleh Abdullah Kamel Humanitarian Foundation. The signing ceremony was held under the patronage and in the presence of the Minister of Hajj and Umrah and Chairman of the Guests of the Rahman Service Program, Dr. Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Saleh Abdullah Kamel Humanitarian Foundation, Abdullah Saleh Kamel. The agreement aims to support a series of projects for pilgrims and visitors.

The memorandum was signed by the CEO of the Guests of the Rahman Service Program, Engineer Mohammed Abu Khair Ismail, and the CEO of the Saleh Abdullah Kamel Humanitarian Foundation, Mr. Hammam Zarei. The agreement seeks to achieve the shared objectives of the program and the foundation, emphasizing the vital role of the third sector in enhancing the efficiency of services provided to pilgrims. The agreement reflects the foundation’s goals of serving the community through comprehensive development, social empowerment, and charitable work.

The support included in the memorandum amounts to 16 million riyals, distributed across various sectors such as the comprehensive feeding project, which aims to develop a sustainable mechanism for distributing sacrificial meat and providing diverse meals, including Iftar meals for over 370,000 pilgrims and those in need, following the highest standards and practices.

The agreement also supports projects to enrich the religious and cultural experience of pilgrims after performing their rituals. Notable projects include the development of prophetic wells and enhancing the visitation experience for tens of thousands of monthly visitors. The memorandum emphasizes the continuous search for opportunities to serve the Guests of the Rahman, aligning future projects with the objectives of both parties.

The Saleh Abdullah Kamel Humanitarian Foundation plays a leading role among civil society institutions supporting the Guests of the Rahman service system. It collaborates with the public and private sectors and fosters cooperation with various charitable institutions and non-profit organizations to support projects in diverse fields serving pilgrims.

The Guests of the Rahman Service Program aims to enable as many Muslims as possible to perform their rituals and visits comprehensively and to enrich and deepen their experiences by improving service quality, preparing the Two Holy Mosques, and achieving the global message of Islam. The program also focuses on developing historical Islamic and cultural sites and providing the best services before, during, and after their visits to Mecca, Medina, and the holy sites, showcasing the Kingdom’s honorable and civilized image in serving the Two Holy Mosques and the Guests of the Rahman.

In its planning and preparation phase, the Guests of the Rahman Service Program tracked the pilgrim’s journey from the moment of intention to perform the rituals until their return home. The program conducted a study covering 192 touchpoints based on field studies for each station the pilgrim passes through. It also surveyed over 20,000 Muslims in more than 20 countries and 135 cities to understand their aspirations and challenges in visiting the Kingdom and performing rituals. These findings were translated into initiatives implemented by the program with its partners across all sectors to ensure development aligns with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, “from the idea to the memory.”