The President of Saudi Press Agency (SPA) Abdullah bin Fahd Al-Hussein stressed that SPA is keen every year on excellence in the performance of its work, and aims to highlight the great efforts exerted by the Government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Crown Prince, and Deputy Crown Prince for pilgrims, Umrah performers and visitors. He commended the great efforts made by the SPA team in the holy sites to convey the true picture of the multiple services enjoyed by pilgrims in this holy site, and convey the journey of Hajj to all parts of the world. This came during an inspection tour made by Al-Hussein yesterday evening to the SPA mission headquarters in Arafat Holy Mount, during which he was briefed on the services provided by the (SPA) of news, photos and video by multiple crews working day and night in all parts of the holy sites. The SPA President urged work crews to make more efforts to achieve the SPA message in conveying the honorable works carried out by the Government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques in the service of pilgrims. Saudi Press Agency is keen each year to intensify its efforts and exploit its potentials during Hajj season to be able to fulfill its information message to keep up with this Islamic event and convey it in news and picture to Muslim, Arab, and whole international world through transmission around the clock, and it has recruited an editorial and technical crew provided with the latest technology in the field of media and means of communication. SPA's camera sheds light on the movements of pilgrims starting from their arrival at land, sea and air ports, and their movements in the city of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and in the holy sites to perform their rituals, in addition to the simultaneous follow-up to the pilgrims' movement to the Grand Holy Mosque and services provided for them in various fields. SPA monitored, via its local offices and correspondents, the efforts exerted by various government sectors and other relevant bodies and their preparations to provide overall services and facilities to pilgrims, as it has been since its inception covering Hajj seasons, pilgrims' journey, and what is provided of gigantic works for them, in addition to the follow-up of its offices and correspondents abroad to the efforts of Kingdom's embassies and consulates in finishing pilgrims' procedures, and providing awareness and guidance programs for them. SPA works on covering Hajj season within a national information system, and it began to pursue this event continuously since last month of Dhu Al-Qa'dah, and will continue to perform its mission until the return of pilgrims to their countries safely. Saudi Press Agency has prepared for this occasion a work- team consisting of 50 employees of editors, photographers and technicians in the holy sites and equipped its offices in the holy sites with the latest technology to deal with news reports and transmit them in three languages (Arabic, English and French), in addition to the pictorial services to cover this great event and contribute to highlighting what has been implemented of projects and services prepared for pilgrims and the accompanying statements issued by the concerned authorities to introduce them to pilgrims and guide them to take advantage of them in a manner that achieves the desired goal of their establishment. SPA website: www.spa.gov.sa provides its visitors as well as media delegates taking part in Hajj press coverage with a comprehensive news service, putting it at their disposal through high-level news services transmitted at several media centers which were installed by the Ministry of Culture and Information in Makkah and the other holy sites on the outskirts of the holy capital. The website was well designed to allow browsers to easily find the news, features and media information. Moreover, it has been equipped with the free toll service of WAP which enables SPA website visitor to browse it from his mobile. The state-of-the-art diversified services from SPA also include, SMS, RSS as well as a news bulletin stream-like moving tape and social media outlets briefing in writing and photograph. The support SPA is enjoying from the Minister of Culture and Information Dr. Abdulaziz bin Mohieddin Khoja, who is also SPA Board of Directors Chairman, has contributed to diversifying and increasing its activity to more than 700 daily news stories in Arabic, English and French. Using all modern techniques of presenting the news including brief news, stories, reports, surveys, features, press coverage and photographing, SPA editors, representatives and photographers are skillfully covering all political, economic, cultural, religious and social fields to provide the recipients and those interested with first hand information.
