The 48th annual Grand Hajj Symposium has officially begun in Saudi Arabia, bringing together delegates from across the Muslim world to discuss key topics related to the Hajj pilgrimage.

Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Hajj is attending the event, alongside representatives from various countries. Representing the Maldives is Usam Mohamed Saeed, Head of the Maldives Hajj Mission.

Organised by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, the symposium was first held in 1977. This year’s programme includes a dedicated media awareness session for journalists and a specialised health workshop for doctors from Hajj missions.

The event comes as a thousand Maldivian pilgrims have already travelled to Saudi Arabia for this year’s Hajj pilgrimage. The final group departed the Maldives on Friday.

This year marks a milestone in Maldivian Hajj arrangements, with pilgrims benefiting from unprecedented levels of convenience. Following the Maldives’ inclusion in the Makkah Route Initiative, travellers were able to complete immigration procedures in Malé, allowing them to proceed directly to their hotels upon arrival in Saudi Arabia.

In addition, 50 per cent of Maldivian pilgrims travelled aboard the national airline. Special train arrangements between Makkah and Madinah have also reduced the travel time for pilgrims from 8–10 hours to approximately three hours.