On behalf of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Suad, may Allah protect him, His Royal Highness Prince Faisal bin Salman bin Abdul-Aziz, the Emir of the Region of Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, and Chairman of the Hajj Committee, inaugurated the 19th Scientific Meeting for Hajj and Umrah Research at the grand hall of Taibah University. The meeting was organized by the Custodian of Two Holy Mosques Institute for Hajj and Umrah Research at UQU, in cooperation and partnership with Taibah University.

Prince Faisal bin Salman expressed his sincere thanks and appreciation to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, may Allah protect him, for his generous guidance in not jeopardizing any of the sites of Islamic history that are registered by a number of authorities, without first referring to these authorities, and to deal with them very cautiously to preserve them. His Royal Highness explained that this guidance will facilitate coordination with other parties to two ensure these monuments are taken care of and restored.

His Royal Highness said, "The journey of Hajj and Umrah is a religious duty in relation to Makkah, and represents a desire and wish to visit Al-Madinah. At the same time, it is a civilizational, historical, and cultural journey. One of the greatest blessings of Allah on this country is the numerous Islamic historical places."

The Emir of the Region of Al-Madinah pointed out that there are budgets set in the Municipality of the region and the Ministry of Hajj, through the "Guests of Al-Rahman" program and the Commission of the Development of Al-Madinah, for the development of Islamic historical sites. We expect that visiting these sites of Islamic history will enrich the pilgrims' knowledge of the advantages of Islamic history and will benefit them.

His Highness stressed that the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques (may Allah protect him) always urge paying keen interest and attention to the service and comfort of pilgrims to help them perform this pillar of Islam. He added that the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques (may Allah support him) has shown on more than one occasion that the king of this country is honored by the unique title of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, a title that is not matched by any other title.

His Highness pointed out that most of the pilgrims coming from abroad want to visit Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah according to the recorded numbers, which have reached more than 90%, noting that the country does its duty to provide all means of comforts, security, and reassurance to the visitors of Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah.

His Royal Highness, the Emir of Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah Region, thanked the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Institute for Hajj and Umrah Research for his efforts and cooperation with any request for study and evaluation of any experience. He also thanked Umm Al-Qura University, which organizes this conference in Makkah and in Al-Madinah on alternating years.

Prince Faisal bin Salman honored the winners from the institutional bodies and individuals of the first Journey of Spirit and Body Award for media distinction, short films, and photography. This activity was organized by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Institute for Hajj and Umrah Research at Umm Al-Qura University.

His Excellency Prof. Abdullah bin Omar Bafail, the UQU President, gave a speech in which he pointed out that the convening of the 19th Scientific Meeting for Hajj and Umrah Research in Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah is to renew the history of Islamic Da`wah through the meeting of Makkah and Taibah for the service of Islam and Muslims.

His Excellency said, "Umm Al-Qura University has the honor of hosting the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Institute for Hajj and Umrah Research to achieve the ambitious vision of becoming the scientific advisory authority for Hajj and Umrah research and their applications by harnessing the cognitive, scientific, and research capacities to solve the problems of Hajj and Umrah."

His Excellency pointed out that the 19th session of the Meeting is a link from the series of projects and programs of the institute, stressing that its various themes and research will provide comfort and tranquility for pilgrims and visitors - Allah willing.

His Excellency thanked the Emir of the Region of Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah for honoring the Meeting by opening its activities and reviewing the institute's programs, and for his continuous support for Hajj and Umrah research. He also noted the continuous support of His Excellency Dr. Hamad Al Al-Sheikh, the Minister of Education, for the process of scientific research in Saudi universities, and his direct follow-up of the work of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Institute for Hajj and Umrah Research, in particular. He also thanked the President of Taibah University, Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Sarani, for hosting the scientific meeting and harnessing the full potential of its activities.

The Dean of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Institute for Hajj and Umrah Research, and the Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the 19th Scientific Meeting for Hajj and Umrah Research, Dr. Sami bin Yasin Barahmain, indicated that the Meeting has been held annually since 1422 A.H. in order to provide all researchers, specialists, officials, and workers in the fields of Hajj and Umrah with an opportunity to present their research, studies, proposals, and experiences, and to utilize the latest international technologies to promote and facilitate the service of pilgrims and visitors.

He said that the Meeting's scientific committee received more than 220 research papers submitted by researchers from different organizations. After refereeing, 50 scientific papers were selected, as well as 40 worksheets documenting the initiatives, achievements, and experiences of governmental, private, and charity organizations. These research papers will be presented in six scientific sessions and a session for explaining the posters and their scientific and applied content. The Meeting was held with the participation of about 30 governmental and non-governmental organizations.

He added, "The scientific record, which contains the full texts of all refereed scientific research, has been printed as a Meeting document and made available for use by researchers in their scientific promotions and future studies." He pointed out that the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Institute for Hajj and Umrah Research at Umm Al-Qura University would continue its process of scientific research to achieve Saudi Vision 2030 through the development and improvement of facilities and services of the Hajj and Umrah system and facilitating the performance of rituals for the Guests of Allah, enriching their experience and hosting more of them.

It is worth mentioning that the Meeting is accompanied by activities and events, including the accompanying exhibition, the signing of cooperation agreements with important bodies for the work of the institute, and the announcement of the Journey of Spirit and Body Award for the best media awareness content about Hajj and Umrah.