Farsy, Minister of Haj, presents an award to a Saudi journalist Friday. — SPA JEDDAH — Heads and members of Haj missions and Ministry of Haj guests were honored at a ceremony here, Friday evening. The ministry also gave away awards for best media coverage of the last Haj season. Dr. Fouad Bin Abdulsalam Al-Farsy, Minister of Haj, and several other senior officials attended the event. Speakers hailed the services and facilities provided to the pilgrims by the government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. Dr. Al-Farsy recounted efforts by the Kingdom from the reign of the late King Abdul Aziz to the era of King Abdullah to receive pilgrims from around the world. He praised the role of scholars, thinkers, writers and journalists in strengthening the unity of the Islamic nation, expressing thanks and appreciation to the employees of the various media for their efforts to cover the Haj. The minister distributed awards to journalists for their coverage of last year's Haj. The Saudi Press Agency won an appreciation award. Al-Madinah newspaper won the prize of best press coverage of Haj. Those who also won prizes included Mariam Al-Jaber of Al-Riyadh; Mohammed Al-Misbah, Hani Agafas and Fahd Al-A'adayen of Okaz; Ayed Omran of Al-Hayat; Faten Ibrahim Hussein of Al-Nadwah; Nawaf Meshaal Sabhan of Al-Eqtisadiah; Abdullah Masoud and Mishaal Al-Qadir of Al-Jazeerah; Mahmoud Hamazani of Al-Youm; and Adel Ruwais of Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper.
