First Flights of Pilgrims Hosted under Custodian of Two Holy Mosques Guests Program Arrive in Madinah

Worshippers perform Friday prayers at the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah. (SPA)
Worshippers perform Friday prayers at the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah. (SPA)
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First Flights of Pilgrims Hosted under Custodian of Two Holy Mosques Guests Program Arrive in Madinah

Worshippers perform Friday prayers at the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah. (SPA)
Worshippers perform Friday prayers at the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah. (SPA)

The first flights of pilgrims hosted under the Custodian of Two Holy Mosques Guests Program arrived in Madinah after having performed Hajj in Makkah.

Other people who performed the pilgrimage under this program are expected to arrive in Madinah by bus this week.

Under the program, 4,951 people from 92 countries have performed Hajj this year. They include 1,000 members of the families of Palestinian martyrs and injured, 1,000 members of the families of Saudi martyred and injured in Operation Decisive Storm, 1,000 members of families of Yemeni martyrs and injured, 280 Syrians, 150 Yemenis, and 91 other pilgrims.

The 28-year program is organized yearly under the supervision of the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance.

Since its launch, it has hosted over 62,000 pilgrims from 140 countries. The program services include receiving pilgrims at points of entry into the Kingdom, providing housing at and transportation between the holy sites, and organizing pilgrims' visits to Madinah before they depart for their countries.



Gulf, EU Leaders Meet for First Summit against Background of Mideast Turmoil

European Council President Charles Michel, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and Saudi Arabia Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud pose during an official welcome ceremony on the day of the joint European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit, in Brussels Belgium October 16, 2024. (Reuters)
European Council President Charles Michel, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and Saudi Arabia Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud pose during an official welcome ceremony on the day of the joint European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit, in Brussels Belgium October 16, 2024. (Reuters)
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Gulf, EU Leaders Meet for First Summit against Background of Mideast Turmoil

European Council President Charles Michel, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and Saudi Arabia Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud pose during an official welcome ceremony on the day of the joint European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit, in Brussels Belgium October 16, 2024. (Reuters)
European Council President Charles Michel, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and Saudi Arabia Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud pose during an official welcome ceremony on the day of the joint European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit, in Brussels Belgium October 16, 2024. (Reuters)

The leaders of six Gulf nations and European Union met for an inaugural summit on Wednesday against a backdrop of turmoil in the Middle East and struggles to find a unified position on the war in Ukraine and relations with Russia.

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, led Saudi Arabia’s delegation to the meeting in Brussels.

The summit was expected to encompass everything from visas and trade to the situation in the Middle East.

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said the summit was “long overdue” and added that “the economic ties between the European Union and the Gulf countries need to be strengthened."

“They are there, but they have the potential to be developed much, much further,” he said.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stressed that “to be strategic partners means to listen to each other, to respect each other, to trust each other.”

She also highlighted the need for cooperation on pressing geopolitical issues like the war in Ukraine and that of Israel against Hamas and Hezbollah groups.

“We cannot implement our economic ambitions without security,” she said.

The 27-nation EU has long had relations with the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council, which include Qatar, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait.