Makkah Al-Mukarramah (UNA-OIC) – On behalf of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Advisor to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, Governor of Makkah Al-Mukarramah Region, attended today the Ministry of Media’s celebration on the 100th Hijri anniversary of the issuance of Umm Al-Qura Newspaper.
The celebration was held in Makkah Chamber for Exhibitions and Events Center, with the presence of several princes, ministers, and an elite of intellectual, literature and media figures.
During the occasion, the Saudi Acting Minister of Media, Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi, delivered a speech in which he expressed his sincere thanks and great gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud for his generous patronage of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of Umm Al-Qura Newspaper.
He further described the newspaper as a great media edifice, which stands as a witness to the march of giving and achievement.
Addressing the celebration, he said, “I am happy to meet you near the Masjid al-Haram and I am pleased to congratulate you on the approaching of the blessed month of Ramadan, may God bring it back to us, you and our country with goodness and blessings”.
He added that “we stand today in front of a 100-year history during which Umm Al-Qura Newspaper experienced the journey of construction and development for our dear homeland continuing its path since the era of the founder King Abdulaziz – may Allah bless his soul – until this prosperous era”.
The Minister of Media underlined that Umm Al-Qura by following this journey has “confirmed the depth of this country’s connection to its press and the importance it attaches to its media.”
The minister considered the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of Umm Al-Qura as an important event and an occasion for appreciation and loyalty to this newspaper, which has not stopped press coverage since its first issue was published on Friday, Jumada Al-Awwal 15, 1343 AH.
He said that Umm Al-Qura has formed during this long period “the nation’s memory. It bears its history and is a reliable reference for the regulative and legal development of this country.”
He added: “The Kingdom is experiencing unprecedented efforts today in all sectors, including the media. More than five years after the launch of Saudi Vision 2030, the hopes are high for an influential media industry capable of conveying the message of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the world.” The minister emphasized that he would work with his colleagues in the media sector to achieve this lofty goal.
The minister indicated that “in confirmation of the state’s interest and care, the Royal approval was issued to transfer Umm Al-Qura newspaper to the Saudi Press Agency, to witness a new stage and a major shift in all aspects of media performance and digital transformation.”
During his speech, the Acting Minister of Media announced five ambitious initiatives to advance and develop the media industry in the Kingdom, which included “the establishment of the National Archives for Saudi Media Center to archive all photos and documents, the establishment of a Saudi media museum to preserve and perpetuate the national journalistic heritage, and the establishment of the “Umm Al-Qura Media” forum to be held every two years.”
According to the minister, the initiatives also include launching a “Mediathon” in partnership with Saudi Telecommunication Company (STC), to help the innovation of futuristic media ideas, and the second phase of the program to support and enable Saudi press institutions undergo digital transformation.
At the closing of the event, the Governor of Makkah Al-Mukarramah Region, Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, inaugurated the centenary issue of Umm Al-Qura newspaper. A poetic poem entitled “The Poem of Umm Al-Qura” was also recited by Dr. Abdulaziz bin Abdul-Maqsoud Khoja.
Then Prince Khaled Al-Faisal honored the pioneers and historians of Umm Al-Qura newspaper and former Saudi media ministers.
