MAKKAH: Prince Khaled Al-Faisal on Thursday sponsored the celebrations to mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the Makkah Chamber of Commerce.

The prince, who is an adviser to King Salman bin Abdulaziz and governor of Makkah, sponsored an event at the Makkah Exhibitions Center, which was attended by Minister of Commerce and acting Minister of Information Dr. Majid Al-Qasabi.

Al-Qasabi said: “The people of Makkah are hardworking and God has blessed Makkah with security. In the middle of the last Hijri century, Sheikh Mohammed Ali Zainal sent Sheikh Hussain Justiniah to Bombay to learn trade and management, and told him of the importance and role of chambers of commerce.

On his return, the merchants of Makkah launched the chamber of commerce “in H1368 to become an incubator of the sanctity of the place and its historical legacy,” he said.

Al-Qasabi added: “As the Makkah Chamber of Commerce celebrates its 75th anniversary and the launch of the exhibitions center we remember the pioneers who founded it.”

Hisham Mohammed Kaaki, the chamber’s current chairman, said that over the past 75 years the organization had played a vital role in supporting not only the economy of Makkah but of the Kingdom as a whole.

“As we celebrate the founding day of our homeland and its founders, we recall the memory of the loyal pioneers who worked hard in this institution for it to become what it is today,” he said.

“When I and fellow members of the board of directors of the chamber held the 20th session, we recalled the legacy of distinguished businessmen who rendered the Makkah Chamber of Commerce a great commercial platform,” he added.

“This made us feel responsible for ensuring its future, and guided by the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 we designed a comprehensive strategy to develop Makkah’s trade amid the challenges posed by the coronavirus.”

As well as the speeches, a documentary about how the chamber of commerce was established was shown at Thursday’s event.