Our Islamic values ‘main driver in confronting pandemic’: MWL chief

MWL Secretary-General Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa speaks at the Geneva conference on Saturday. (SPA)
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Updated 05 September 2021
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Our Islamic values ‘main driver in confronting pandemic’: MWL chief

  • WHO head tells Geneva event: ‘Crisis will end when we all decide to put an end to it’

GENEVA: The secretary-general of the Muslim World League has praised the World Health Organization at a Swiss conference for its efforts in combating the COVID-19 pandemic.

The event, hosted by the WHO in Geneva, also included the director-general of the organization, Tedros Adhano, and former prime minister of Norway Kjell Bondevik.

Sheikh Dr. Mohammed bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa said: “In the time of COVID-19, the World Health Organization has become the global peacemaker from the danger of a deadly enemy that has targeted our world without exception.”

He hailed the WHO’s “outstanding efforts” in reducing suffering amid the pandemic, labeling them as “efforts to achieve world peace.” Through careful monitoring of the situation and practical guidance, the WHO followed through on the maxim “there is no peace like the safety of people’s lives,” Al-Issa said.

He added: “The lethality of this pandemic has been greatly alleviated, and the exhaustion of health facilities has been reduced.” The organization led countries of the world with “high efficiency” to “defeat our common enemy, which has exhausted and frightened our world more than it has been exhausted and frightened by many wars,” Al-Issa said.

The MWL secretary-general praised the granting of the Bridge Maker Award in Norway to the director-general of the WHO, adding that the organization has “increased its struggle for our physical and psychological peace. It is an icon of peace in the time of COVID-19.”

 

In the time of COVID-19, the World Health Organization has become the global peacemaker from the danger of a deadly enemy that has targeted our world without exception.

Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa

Al-Issa said: “Societies around the world would not have been able to cooperate in the battle against the pandemic except through awareness among individuals and institutions, which was encouraged through deliberate programs and effective laws in light of the advice and guidance of the WHO.”

He also discussed the importance of immunization, especially in developing countries, saying that vaccine hesitancy can be addressed through influential figures and effective laws.

Al-Issa proposed the creation of a universal health passport authorized by the WHO so that countries around the world could forbid entry to travelers who have not received vaccines.

In his opening speech at the Geneva International Solidarity Conference to confront the COVID-19 pandemic, Al-Issa also reviewed the efforts of the MWL since the beginning of the pandemic, starting from its headquarters in Makkah.

He said that these efforts included “material aid in direct coordination with governments, as well as medical equipment for health institutions and food aid for vulnerable groups.”

The MWL “worked to spread preventive awareness for more than 30 countries around the world, without discriminating in this humanitarian work for any religious or political reasons,” Al-Issa added.

“We are continuing our efforts, which we see as our duty,” he said.

Bondevik moderated the event, and stressed the role religious leaders play in dealing with the pandemic, especially through improving vaccine uptake.

Tedros Adhano said: “This pandemic will end when we all decide to put an end to it, because the decision is in the hands of all of us.

“Several regions and countries are witnessing a sharp rise in cases of infection and death due to COVID-19, and the reason is the high rate of social contact and movement, the absence of coordinated health and social measures, the emergence of rapidly transmitting mutations and inequality in the availability of vaccines.”

Secretary-General of the World Council of Churches Prof. Ioan Sauca called for dialogue and cooperation at the global level to help combat the pandemic. He said that the main lesson learned from the crisis is “a greater understanding of our common fragility” and “destiny as one humankind.”

Jagan Chapagain, secretary-general of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said: “There is no way to confront these crises except through a united front that includes religious institutions, the public sector and society as a whole.”


Saudi teams shine at Formula 1 in Schools World Finals

Updated 12 sec ago
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Saudi teams shine at Formula 1 in Schools World Finals

  • Over 450 young innovators from around the globe join together for the event in Dhahran
  • Competitors worked in 55 teams to design, build and race miniature F1 cars on a 20-meter track

RIYADH: Three Saudi teams have scooped awards at the 2024 Aramco Formula 1 in Schools World Finals.

Over 450 students from gathered at Dhahran Expo from Nov. 23-26 for the competition, the first time it has been hosted in the Kingdom. The finalists emerged from an initial 29,000 schools worldwide.

The Clad team won the Enterprise Portfolio Award, while Oryx claimed Best Engineered Car and Shaheen took Best Application of Project Management.

Competitors worked in 55 teams to design, build and race miniature F1 cars on a 20-meter track. Those taking part were aged from nine to 19, one third of whom were female.

The competition reflects Aramco’s commitment to developing future leaders in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, otherwise known as Ithra, oversaw the Saudi teams’ preparation during a nine-month training period. Led by 37 experts from six specialized centers, the program focused on engineering, design and teamwork.

It has become a key platform for developing Saudi Arabia’s next generation of scientific talent and putting innovation firmly on the global stage.

At the 2023 World Finals in Singapore, Saudi teams won the Innovative Thinking, Women in Motorsport and Identity awards.

The Aramco Formula 1 in Schools World Finals offer young innovators an opportunity to shape Saudi Arabia's future creative industries.

The program follows a unified curriculum covering physics, aerodynamics, design, manufacturing, branding, graphic design, sponsorship, marketing, leadership, teamwork, media skills and financial strategies.


Grand mufti of Saudi Arabia meets Pakistan’s Senate chair

Updated 5 min 37 sec ago
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Grand mufti of Saudi Arabia meets Pakistan’s Senate chair

  • Al-Sheikh highlights role of Council of Senior Scholars on Islamic issues
  • Council ‘keen to promote moderation and combat extremism in the region’

RIYADH: The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia on Wednesday received the chairperson of Pakistan’s senate at the presidential headquarters in Riyadh.

Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh met Yusuf Raza Gilani, who was accompanied by a delegation of members of the upper house in the Pakistani parliament.

Al-Sheikh, who is also chairperson of the Council of Senior Scholars, and president general of scientific research and ifta, highlighted the depth and distinguished brotherly Islamic relations between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

He highlighted the significant role the Council of Senior Scholars performs in the Kingdom to explain Shariah rulings about issues that concern Muslims. It has issued more than 30,000 fatwas and 200 rulings.

The council is keen to promote moderation and combat extremism in the region, he added.

He said that King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman continue to serve the Two Holy Mosques in Makkah and Madinah, ensuring that visitors and pilgrims receive appropriate services.

Gilani expressed his happiness to visit Saudi Arabia, noting the great role the Kingdom is playing through its leadership as well as the ties it has developed with Pakistan on various issues.

The meeting was attended by the secretary-general of the Council of Senior Scholars, Sheikh Fahd Al-Majed, and Shoura Council member Abdulrahman Al-Harbi.


New initiative to plant 60m seeds for sustainability

Updated 59 min 13 sec ago
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New initiative to plant 60m seeds for sustainability

  • NCVC CEO, Khaled Al-Abdulkader, outlined the initiative’s goal of dispersing 60 million seeds and cleaning floodplains throughout the governorate
  • Efforts are part of the broader National Greening Season, which aims to increase green spaces and address environmental challenges

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification has launched the Grow Impact initiative in Hafar Al-Batin governorate to encourage community participation in preserving and expanding vegetation cover, while promoting sustainability and environmental awareness.

The center’s CEO, Khaled Al-Abdulkader, outlined the initiative’s goal of dispersing 60 million seeds and cleaning floodplains throughout the governorate.

These efforts are part of the broader National Greening Season, which aims to increase green spaces and address environmental challenges, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

Al-Abdulkader described Grow Impact as a key step toward achieving sustainable development goals, restoring ecological balance, and enhancing biodiversity.

He said that the initiative also encourages environmental responsibility among individuals and communities.

The initiative aims to reduce waste in natural areas, protect plant and animal species from human activity, and combat desertification by inspiring communities to protect natural resources.

These goals align with Saudi Arabia’s vision for preserving the planet and its natural heritage, SPA reported.

The center continues its mission to develop and protect vegetation cover throughout the Kingdom, rehabilitating degraded areas, addressing violations, combating illegal logging, and overseeing rangelands, forests and national parks.


Thunderstorms forecast across Saudi Arabia until Sunday 

Updated 27 November 2024
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Thunderstorms forecast across Saudi Arabia until Sunday 

  • Makkah region is forecast light to moderate rain showers that could lead to flash floods
  • Asir and Jazan regions will also be affected by moderate to heavy showers

RIYADH: The General Directorate of Civil Defense has forecast thunderstorms in several regions across the Kingdom until Sunday.

Makkah region is forecast light to moderate rain showers that could lead to flash floods, hail and dust-stirring winds, reported the Saudi Press Agency, while moderate to heavy rain is expected in Riyadh region.

Asir and Jazan regions will also be affected by moderate to heavy showers, while the Qassim, Eastern and Baha regions will experience moderate rain. The regions of Madinah and Najran can expect light rain.

The directorate has urged people to exercise caution, avoid areas prone to flash flooding, and refrain from swimming in flooded areas.

Members of the public should follow media channels to keep themselves updated on the latest conditions.

Autumn in Saudi Arabia is typically rainy, with rapid weather changes providing relief from the heat, according to the National Center for Meteorology.


Shoura Council, EU officials discuss strengthening ties

Updated 27 November 2024
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Shoura Council, EU officials discuss strengthening ties

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Shoura Council Vice Speaker Mishaal Al-Sulami met in Riyadh with an EU Political and Security Committee delegation, led by its chair Delphine Pronk, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

The delegation included ambassadors from the 27 EU member states, the EU Special Representative for the Gulf Luigi Di Maio, and the EU Ambassador to the Kingdom Christophe Farnaud.

Al-Sulami highlighted the Shoura Council’s oversight and legislative roles and emphasized the importance of parliamentary diplomacy in strengthening cooperation.

The delegates praised the Kingdom’s significant developments and the ambitious Saudi Vision 2030, SPA reported.

The talks addressed the strong relations between Saudi Arabia and the EU, ways to enhance collaboration between the Shoura Council and the European Parliament, and other topics of mutual interest.

Earlier, the EU delegation visited the Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology in Riyadh, where they discussed ways to counter extremism.

The delegation also visited the Gulf Cooperation Council headquarters in Riyadh, where they discussed joint efforts to tackle global challenges.