Coinciding with the International Day for the Elderly, the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque launched the “Tawqeer” initiative, which provides several programs and services targeting the elderly, facilitating the performance of their rituals, working on their comfort and enriching their experience.
The General President of the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, Abdul Rahman bin Abdulaziz Al-Sudais, said that the General Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques is keen to provide the best and finest social, voluntary and humanitarian services to visitors to the Grand Mosque and take care of them while applying preventive measures and following health instructions and providing them with a safe and healthy environment in the Grand Mosque.
He added that the presidency, represented by the Social, Voluntary and Humanitarian Services Agency, has a package of services for the elderly and people with special needs, such as paying free carts to perform Umrah with ease and ease, presenting souvenirs and hospitality to them and celebrating them.
On the occasion of the International Day for the Elderly: Learn about the “Tawqeer” initiative and its services for the elderly in the #Masjid_Al-Haram.# Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques pic.twitter.com/auJ6T0hIcQ
- Presidency of Two Holy Mosques Affairs (@ReasahAlharmain) October 4, 2022
Multiple services
Al-Sudais added that the initiative also includes creating special places for prayer for the elderly to ensure a safe and healthy environment, raising awareness of their rights, accompanying them and guiding them to the sites and facilities of the Grand Mosque.
The "Tawqeer" initiative coincides with the celebration of the International Day for the Elderly, which falls on the first of October of each year, which aims to raise awareness of the problems facing the elderly and celebrate what they have accomplished to serve the community.
The Saudi Press Agency stated that the Kingdom, like other countries in the world, celebrates this occasion, believing in the importance of this dear group in society, through a system of services, comprehensive health care, and pastoral and rehabilitation programs using 12 social care homes spread throughout the Kingdom and committed to their responsibilities towards the rights of the elderly.
The Saudi Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development provides the elderly category with a residential care service in social care homes, in addition to charitable societies. The services include providing financial and in-kind assistance to the needy elderly and their families through the Social Security Agency and prosthetic devices such as wheelchairs and medical beds and the home care program for the elderly within the family framework Through a program of follow-up visits to them.
The Agency for Social, Voluntary and Humanitarian Services within the “Tawqeer” initiative provides its services to the elderly and people with disabilities
https://t.co/0sDYUcbBry# Presidency of Two Holy Mosques pic.twitter.com/gzzXoCzUv2
- Presidency of Two Holy Mosques Affairs (@ReasahAlharmain) October 3, 2022
Respecting the elderly
Through interaction with the International Day for the Elderly, the Ministry aims to emphasize that Islamic values call for reverence and respect for the elderly, highlighting their role in the development of society and their ability to give, benefiting from their expertise and professional and scientific energies, and introducing local and international efforts related to the elderly.
The General President inaugurates a field humanitarian initiative to serve the pilgrims. https://t.co/4TljhwmyFm# Peacefully_Amen #Presidency of Two Holy Mosques pic.twitter.com/dyibYMILSZ
- Presidency of Two Holy Mosques Affairs (@ReasahAlharmain) June 26, 2022
And the “Tawqeer” initiative is not the only one launched by the Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques to care for the elderly. Last June, the “Humanioun” initiative was launched, which also aims to welcome the elderly and people with disabilities who visit the Prophet’s Mosque and provide gifts to them, in addition to providing quality services.