Haj pilgrims have been urged to make use of the Kingdom’s sacrificial meat utilization program, which is aimed at helping the faithful perform their sacrifices in an orderly and hygienic manner in order to prevent environmental pollution at the holy sites of Mina and Makkah.
Ahmed Mohamed Ali, president of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), which supervises the prestigious "Adahi" program, has said that the Saudi government has spent more than SR1 billion to build infrastructure facilities for the project, which include advanced slaughter houses and huge cold storage.
“We deploy about 40,000 workers including veterinarians, administrators and butchers, to carry out the project every year,” Ali told a press conference at the IDB headquarters.
The meat for this year’s sacrificial animals will be distributed among the poor in 28 countries, as well as in different parts of Saudi Arabia.
Last year, the project utilized meat of 961,829 sheep. “We have made arrangements to utilize the meat of one million sheep and 10,000 cows and camels during this Haj season,” Ali said. This year, IDB has fixed the price of a single sacrificial sheep at SR490 ($131 or 99 euros). “Despite the rise in prices of livestock worldwide, we have managed to import an adequate number of sheep at a reasonable rate,” the president said.
He requested foreign Haj missions to encourage their pilgrims to purchase Adahi coupons for sacrifice, including hady, fidya, odhiya, sadaqa and aqeqa, through Al-Rajhi Bank, Saudi Post, Al-Amoudi Exchange and Haji & Mutamir Gift Association.
Hajis urged to support Adahi project
Hajis urged to support Adahi project
Saudi Arabia and Britain declare 2029 as cultural year
- The announcement coincides with Prince William’s visit to Saudi Arabia this week
- The Saudi-British partnership in 2029 will emphasize culture, education, collaborative efforts in heritage conservation, visual and culinary arts, and architecture
LONDON: The Saudi Ministry of Culture announced that 2029 will be designated as the “Saudi-British Cultural Year,” in partnership with the UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
The announcement on Wednesday coincides with Prince William’s visit to the Kingdom this week. The declaration highlights the strong bond between the two kingdoms, which is rooted in over a century of diplomatic relations, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The Saudi-British partnership in 2029 will emphasize culture, education, and innovation, as well as collaborative efforts in heritage conservation, visual and culinary arts, and architecture.
In 2029, the emphasis will be on celebrating creative dialogue and cultural heritage to strengthen ties between Saudi Arabia and the UK for future generations, the SPA added.
Separately, Saudi Arabia will also host the next session of the UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development (MONDIACULT) in 2029. This global platform for cultural dialogue was first held in Mexico in 1982.
The initiatives are part of Vision 2030 and reflect Saudi Arabia’s latest efforts on national, regional, and international levels to reinforce the role of culture in sustainable development.
