Saudis fete Chinese pilgrims for voluntary environmentalism
Pilgrims were seen in video cleaning a Mecca tunnel during Hajj
Cairo: Saudi Arabia has celebrated several Muslim Chinese pilgrims for their voluntary effort in protecting the environment during the annual Hajj pilgrimage that ended late last month.
The honorees were seen in a video circulated on social media removing garbage from a tunnel in the Saudi holy city of Mecca during Hajj, Islam’s biggest gathering.
They did the voluntary work while on their way to perform the symbolic ritual of stoning the devil in the valley of Mina near Mecca, according to media reports.
Deputy head of the Mecca Mayoralty Ebrahim Al Ghamdi welcomed the volunteers at his office and honoured them.
The Mecca mayoralty said the honouring gesture underlined importance of social responsibility, aimed to motivate “positive behaviour”, boost pilgrims’ health and environmental values, and enrich their experience during undertaking Hajj rituals.
The Saudi official expressed appreciation for the pilgrims’ act.
“We are very happy about the pilgrims’ initiative that spread on social media,” he said at the honouring ceremony.
“We are happy because there are pilgrims who have this culture and keenness to keep Mecca clean,” he added.
Saudi Arabia lifted limits on the numbers and ages of pilgrims from around the world for this Hajj season, reversing earlier restrictions. COVID-19 forced the curtailment of the numbers of pilgrims in the past three years.
Around 1.8 million pilgrims, including 1.6 million from abroad, attended this year’s Hajj, according to Saudi official figures.
Hajj is one of Islam’s five obligatory duties. Muslims, who can physically and financially afford Hajj, have to perform it at least once in a lifetime.