Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman of Saudi Arabia has approved the reception of 1,000 Umrah pilgrims from around the world under the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Hajj, Umrah and Visits Program.The initiative, which is personally funded by the King and overseen by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance, will be implemented in four phases during 1448 AH.The first group will include 250 male and female players from 16 Asian countries. Participating countries include Indonesia, Timor-Leste, Philippines, Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos, Singapore, China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Mongolia.The ministry said the program aims to enable Muslims from around the world to perform Umrah and visit Islam’s holiest sites in Saudi Arabia.Sheikh Abdullatif Al-Sheikh, Minister of Islamic Affairs, Appeal and Guidance, welcomed the approval and thanked King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for their continued support of initiatives that serve Muslims around the world.He said the plan reflects the Kingdom’s commitment to strengthening ties between Muslim communities and facilitating visits to the holy sites. Sheikh added that the initiative also supports Saudi Arabia’s broader efforts to promote ties with scholars, religious leaders and other prominent figures across the Muslim world.
