‘Walking Guide' volunteer service introduced for Grand Mosque pilgrims
MAKKAH: A new volunteer assistance service has been introduced at Saudi Arabia's two holy mosques to aid pilgrims, particularly the elderly and disabled.
The General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques announced the program as part of broader efforts to improve the pilgrimage experience.
Speaking to Arab News, the initiative's director, Bassem Wahbo, explained that guides are identifiable through prominent signage and floor markers that pinpoint their locations.
'This system creates effective connections between locations and nearby services, representing a critical advancement in our visitor assistance capabilities, supporting the initiative's goals of providing effective and direct assistance to (visitors),' Wahbo said.
'We provide precise guidance to ensure all visitors enjoy a comfortable and smooth experience, with special focus on elderly and disabled pilgrims by directing them to dedicated pathways and services that facilitate easy access to their destinations,' he added.
The initiative serves multiple purposes, mainly facilitating movement throughout the mosque complex, providing assistance to worshippers navigating to prayer areas and services, supporting vulnerable visitors to ensure their comfort during religious rituals, and directing people to optimal routes and available amenities.
The authority emphasized its ongoing commitment to supporting elderly and disabled visitors through specialized guidance services to help them reach their destinations with ease.
Hajj and Umrah specialist Saad Al-Sharif praised the initiative as 'exceptional,' noting its comprehensive approach to visitor assistance.
'The guides provide crucial field direction to circumambulation areas, Sa'i, prayer halls, entrances, exits, and service locations. They reunite lost individuals — particularly children and elderly pilgrims — with their proper destinations and offer multilingual assistance to international visitors,' Al-Sharif explained.
Umrah performer Abdulrahman Faisal highlighted the teams' importance in emergency response situations.
'They provide immediate assistance to visitors experiencing difficulties such as heat stress or exhaustion and coordinate with relevant authorities when necessary,' he said.
He explained that it is particularly important to guide Umrah performers and tourists toward correct behaviors inside the mosque to preserve the sanctity of the place and maintain orderly movement, which the authorities are working hard to achieve.
Faisal noted that guides operate within a mobile system, patrolling the mosque complex with identification badges and communication devices.
They are strategically positioned at key locations including entrances, the Tawaf area, the Sa'i walkway, and main gates.
'Their use of smart applications and digital mapping technology to deliver accurate, instant information is particularly impressive,' he added.
The service has already reportedly reduced instances of disorientation among visitors while improving the ritual experience and enhancing overall organization.
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