Japanese speech contest strengthens cultural exchange between Japan and Saudi Arabia

MAKKAH: Hira Cultural District has concluded additional agreements within the Partners Program by including several hotels as well as Hajj and Umrah, tourism and transportation companies, in the presence of Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dr. Tawfiq Al-Rabiah.

The program aims to enrich the religious and cultural experience of pilgrims in the district.

Fawaz bin Abdullah Al-Mehrej, CEO of Samaya Investment, the operating company behind the Hira Cultural District, told Arab News that “in the Partners Program, we engage with the competent authorities in Hajj and Umrah to enrich the experience of pilgrims and visitors, which is one of the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.”

“We aim to introduce pilgrims to the importance of the historical sites in Makkah. In this context, we are establishing distinguished partnerships through the Partners Program, which allows us to talk about these sites through the interaction of our success partners. At the end of the day, we all aim to enhance the cultural status and historical richness of our holy capital,” he said.

Al-Muhrij said that the cultural message was clear, necessary and effective to enhance the knowledge of all visitors.

“We strive to ensure that the cultural information is clearly presented while focusing on the cultural vision enhancing the historical richness of Makkah. In addition to clarity, Hira Cultural District strives to ensure that the message of qualitative benefit provides visitors with knowledge, meets their passion, connects them to this place, and engraves the experience in their memory.”

Al-Muhrij said that visitors were keen to expand their cultural perceptions by learning about a number of historical sites using reliable sources. Those in charge of the Hira Cultural District worked on developing the historical site of Mount Hira while providing all the technical tools for translation, in addition to qualified and competent multilingual tour guides.

Samaya Investment based its preparation of cultural content and information on three main pillars. The first pillar includes not wasting time on long programs that do not keep up with the pace of change. The second pillar includes historically reliable sources of information, while the third pillar includes using the latest technological means, such as display tools and models.

The Partners Program was established to integrate cultural projects in Makkah and Madinah, implemented by investment companies on one hand and Hajj and Umrah, transportation, tourism and hotel companies on the other.

The program aims to emphasize the role of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, the Pilgrims Experience Program, and the Nusuk platform in facilitating visitors’ journeys and enriching their religious and cultural experiences.