On behalf of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Advisor to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, Governor of Makkah Al-Mukarramah Region, attended today the Ministry of Media’s celebration on the 100th Hijri anniversary of the issuance of Umm Al-Qura Newspaper.

The celebration was held in Makkah Chamber for Exhibitions and Events Center, with the presence of several princes, ministers, and an elite of intellectual, literature and media figures.

During the occasion, the Saudi Acting Minister of Media, Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi, delivered a speech in which he expressed his sincere thanks and great gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud for his generous patronage of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of Umm Al-Qura Newspaper.

The minister considered the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of Umm Al-Qura as an important event and an occasion for appreciation and loyalty to this newspaper, which has not stopped press coverage since its first issue was published on Friday, Jumada Al-Awwal 15, 1343 AH.
He said that Umm Al-Qura has formed during this long period "the nation's memory. It bears its history and is a reliable reference for the regulative and legal development of this country.”

The minister indicated that “in confirmation of the state’s interest and care, the Royal approval was issued to transfer Umm Al-Qura newspaper to the Saudi Press Agency, to witness a new stage and a major shift in all aspects of media performance and digital transformation.”

During his speech, the Acting Minister of Media announced five ambitious initiatives to advance and develop the media industry in the Kingdom, which included “the establishment of the National Archives for Saudi Media Center to archive all photos and documents, the establishment of a Saudi media museum to preserve and perpetuate the national journalistic heritage, and the establishment of the “Umm Al-Qura Media” forum to be held every two years."

According to the minister, the initiatives also include launching a “Mediathon” in partnership with Saudi Telecommunication Company (STC), to help the innovation of future media ideas, and the second phase of the program to support and enable Saudi press institutions undergo digital transformation.

At the closing of the event, the Governor of Makkah Al-Mukarramah Region, Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, inaugurated the centenary issue of Umm Al-Qura newspaper.