Memorandum of Understanding between the Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques and the King Salman Center for Disability Research

To enhance and develop services provided to people with disabilities and the elderly, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques and the King Salman Center for Disability Research.

His Royal Highness Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Special Advisor to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the King Salman Center for Disability Research, and His Excellency Sheikh Dr. Abdul Rahman bin Abdulaziz Al-Sudais, President-General of the Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, signed the memorandum of understanding today, Tuesday, 24/06/1444 AH, corresponding to 17/01/2023 AD, at the center's headquarters in the Diplomatic Quarter in Riyadh.

This memorandum aims to achieve mutual interests between the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques and the King Salman Center for Disability Research to contribute to improving and developing services provided to people with disabilities and the elderly, facilitating their performance of prayers, rituals, and worship with ease and tranquility.

Integration of efforts to serve the cause of disability. 

In a press statement, Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz stated that the goal of this agreement is to integrate, develop, and enhance efforts in accordance with the best international practices provided by the King Salman Center for Disability Research, which was established by King Salman bin Abdulaziz, may God protect him, 30 years ago with advanced international and research experiences. He explained that all recommendations of the six conferences held by the center have been fully implemented, including comprehensive access, early screening, and other programs.

Leadership in serving people with disabilities.

For his part, Sheikh Abdul Rahman AlSudais stated that the goal of this agreement is for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to lead in serving people with disabilities at the Two Holy Mosques, providing an unprecedented project for this category to facilitate their performance of Hajj and Umrah in the Two Holy Mosques as the greatest and largest project of its kind in the world. This would not have been achieved without the grace of God Almighty, the support of the blessed leadership, and the stance of Prince Sultan bin Salman.

Sheikh AlSudais announced that Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz has accepted to be the honorary president for developing the project for people with disabilities at the Two Holy Mosques and the honorary president of the Quranic competition for people with disabilities at the Two Holy Mosques.

Preparing the Two Holy Mosques to become a friendly environment for people with disabilities.

The memorandum aims to contribute effectively and comprehensively to achieving its objectives by enabling the work team to perform their tasks at the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque, in addition to sharing periodic reports, enriching the scientific methodology and study approach followed in the project to develop comprehensive access standards for people with disabilities and the elderly, adapting all practices, trends, and pioneering studies locally and internationally, and involving specialized experts in the comprehensive access project to prepare the Two Holy Mosques to be a disability-friendly environment for people with disabilities and the elderly.

Video | Speech by His Excellency Sheikh Dr. Abdul Rahman bin Abdulaziz Al-Sudais during the signing ceremony of the agreement