UQU President, Dr. Bakri bin Maatooq Al-Assas, inaugurated the annual researchers meeting organized by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Institute for Hajj and Umrah Research during the holy month of Ramadan, with the participation of the parties involved in providing services for the pilgrims in the Grand mosque and the Prophet mosque. The meeting that took place in the research tent at the Institute's headquarters in Azizia, was attended by a number of UQU Vice Presidents, deans, and the affiliates of the university and institute.    
 
After initiating the ceremony with a Quranic recitation, the dean of the Institute, Dr. Atef bin Hussein Asghar delivered an address explaining that the Institute is honored to be a specialized research body in the fields of Hajj and Umrah and to work side by side with the executive authorities to achieve aspirations of the rulers towards providing the best services and removing all the obstacles facing the guests of Allah. He added that the Institute will carry out during the current Ramadan season 19 studies and program in the administrative, humanitarian, environmental, health, engineering,  urban, media and information fields, some of them are dedicated to Al-Madinah.  
 
 
After that, the scientific program  of the meeting started by reviewing samples of the studies conducted during this season and then the opportunity was opened for discussions by the attendees.  
 
Then, the UQU President launched the pilot project of Aefaf Initiative established by the Institute in collaboration with some agencies in the public and private sectors to help the productive families in Makkah in the field of food industries during Hajj and Umrah seasons. The initiative aims at merging the individual efforts and works of the productive families into collective entities and convert them into an institutionalized action which contributes to achieving an added value to Hajj and Umrah economy.  

 
 
In his speech, Dr. Al-Assas highlighted the status of Makkah and special qualities by which Allah distinguished this holy place from among all places on earth, as well as the great Islamic status of the Al-Madinah. He emphasized that, the Kingdom has harnessed all financial, human and technology potentials for the advancement, prosperity and development of  all the facilities of those two holy cities and serving pilgrims and visitors. 
 
Within the same vein, he said that the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosque Institute for Hajj and Umrah Research was established to contribute to the researches necessary for upgrading services provided for millions of pilgrims and visitors coming to the holy lands every year. He pointed out that the role played by the institute over four decades and its contribution in different fields have resulted in many projects, initiatives and consultancies which brought about a quantitative leap to Hajj and Umrah system.  
 
Concluding his speech, Dr. Al-Assas thanked Allah for his blessings and extended his thanks to the rulers for their boundless  support to whatever serves Hajj and Umrah system. He also thanked the governors of Makkah and Madinah and the minister of education for their directives and continuous follow up to whatever serves the objectives of the Institute and the university, as well as those in charge of the institute including the administrative and research staff and prayed for Allah to crown everyone with success and to save this beloved country from all evil.    

 
At the end of the meeting the Institute's employees were honored upon completion of their employment with the institute and then the dean of the Institute presented a memorial gift to the UQU President.