Saudi ‘Ehsan’ Campaign: Social Unity Reaches Millions

The fourth edition of the Saudi annual national campaign for charitable activities was inaugurated with generous donations from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. (SPA)
The fourth edition of the Saudi annual national campaign for charitable activities was inaugurated with generous donations from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. (SPA)
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Saudi ‘Ehsan’ Campaign: Social Unity Reaches Millions

The fourth edition of the Saudi annual national campaign for charitable activities was inaugurated with generous donations from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. (SPA)
The fourth edition of the Saudi annual national campaign for charitable activities was inaugurated with generous donations from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. (SPA)

As Islam’s holy month of Ramadan begins, people’s hearts open, eager to do good deeds and help those in need.

The fourth Saudi annual national campaign for charitable activities shows how individuals and Saudi organizations are competing to give generously.

This year's campaign was kickstarted by significant donations from Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, through the Ehsan platform.

Within hours of launching last Friday, donations exceeded SAR 1 billion, highlighting the community’s eagerness to contribute. The campaign continues to accept donations until the end of Ramadan.

The Ehsan platform offers diverse opportunities for charitable donations, catering to various needs. From supporting families who have lost their breadwinners to helping patients struggling with illness and poverty, the platform addresses a wide range of challenges.

Donations can also aid debtors and those in need by covering electricity bills through the “Taysirat” service.

Additionally, the platform provides assistance for individuals facing legal obligations and offers opportunities for supporting emergency relief projects worldwide in collaboration with the King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian Aid.

At Ehsan’s headquarters in Riyadh, a team acts as a central hub, working tirelessly throughout the campaign. They track donations, encourage competition in doing good, and share stories of kindness on social media.

The platform’s social media profiles showcase individuals and organizations giving generously to support charitable causes, maximizing their impact and contributing to the national charity campaign.

At the exhibition accompanying the fourth edition of the national charity campaign, visitors can see the results of the campaign through various projects nearing completion or already in progress.

The exhibition showcases the nearly completed “Salam” Endowment Hospital project in Madinah, the first of its kind in the Kingdom.

It is located near the Prophet’s Mosque and boasts 14 floors, including an emergency department, intensive care unit, and dialysis center.

Moreover, interactive displays at the fair illustrate the impact of donor generosity in various charitable and developmental areas, highlighting nationwide contributions.

The exhibition also introduced the Ehsan Endowment Fund, launched last January to ensure financial sustainability for charitable endeavors, enabling individuals and organizations to invest and allocate returns to diverse charitable activities in collaboration with over 1,700 local organizations.

Ehsan has positively impacted over 4.8 million people across education, social, health, relief, environmental, economic, and technological sectors.

Donations continue 24/7 during Ramadan, totaling over SAR 6.2 billion. Aligned with Saudi Vision 2030, Ehsan promotes a culture of donation and supports community projects and humanitarian causes, enabling secure donations.



UN Puts 4th Century Gaza Monastery on Endangered Site List

The Saint Hilarion complex dates back to the fourth century. Mahmud HAMS / AFP/File
The Saint Hilarion complex dates back to the fourth century. Mahmud HAMS / AFP/File
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UN Puts 4th Century Gaza Monastery on Endangered Site List

The Saint Hilarion complex dates back to the fourth century. Mahmud HAMS / AFP/File
The Saint Hilarion complex dates back to the fourth century. Mahmud HAMS / AFP/File

The Saint Hilarion complex, one of the oldest monasteries in the Middle East, has been put on the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites in danger due to the war in Gaza, the body said Friday.
UNESCO said the site, which dates back to the fourth century, had been put on the endangered list at the demand of Palestinian authorities and cited the "imminent threats" it faced.
"It's the only recourse to protect the site from destruction in the current context," Lazare Eloundou Assomo, director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, told AFP, referring to the war sparked by Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel.
In December, the UNESCO Committee for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict decided to grant "provisional enhanced protection" -- the highest level of immunity established by the 1954 Hague Convention -- to the site.
UNESCO had then said it was "already concerned about the state of conservation of sites, before October 7, due to the lack of adequate policies to protect heritage and culture" in Gaza.
The Hamas attack on October 7 resulted in the deaths of 1,197 people in Israel, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.
Israel's retaliatory offensive against Hamas has killed at least 39,175 Palestinians in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry, which does not give details of civilian and militant deaths.