“Pride and Honor of Retirement” was the theme of a meeting of the National Retirees Association (NRA) held recently at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) and attended by over 300 retirees. Dr. Fouad Bougary, head of NRA's Jeddah branch, said that all sectors of society should be grateful to those retired workers who had dedicated their lives and efforts to serve society. “Now is the time to find a way to utilize the extensive experience of the nation's retirees in practical programs to benefit our society,” he said. Bougary stressed that the NRA members had assured him that they were not in need of any charitable or financial assistance, and that they only sought moral support in their efforts to be of use to their country. Sheikh Saleh Bin Ali Al-Turki, Chairman of the JCCI, said: “We are ready to support the NRA's programs and services by any means possible. We hope to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the JCCI and NRA before the start of Ramadan.” Dr. Zahra Sa'ad Al-Mo'abbi who delivered a lecture noted that most retirees suffered from bouts of psychological pressure and stress, necessitating the creation of alternative programs to enable them to feel that they are still leading useful and productive lives. “We should bring retirees out of seclusiom to participate in different professional and social activities. I suggest that the JCCI and NRA work together to establish a variety of courses which can be taught by retirees so that others can benefit from their years of experience,” Mo'abbi said. __
