Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia hosted an Eid Al-Adha reception at Mina Palace, where he welcomed senior officials, religious scholars, military commanders, and Hajj representatives. The event was held in recognition of the contributions of those involved in this year’s pilgrimage. Acting on behalf of King Salman, the crown prince offered Eid greetings to Saudi citizens, residents, and pilgrims, while commending military personnel, security forces, government employees, and volunteers for their commitment to serving pilgrims and ensuring the security of the Kingdom.
The crown prince reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s dedication to serving the Two Holy Mosques and maintaining security at the holy sites, highlighting the nation’s ongoing responsibility in this regard. Attendees of the gathering included high-ranking officials, representatives from Gulf Cooperation Council countries, ministers, and scout groups who played roles in the Hajj operations. Lt. Gen. Mohammed Al-Bassami spoke on behalf of the security services, emphasizing the success of this year’s Hajj security plans and noting the enhanced safety and operational efficiency due to the Kingdom’s continuous investment in pilgrim services.
This year, Saudi Arabia is hosting over 1.7 million pilgrims, with more than 1.54 million arriving from abroad and approximately 160,000 participating from within the Kingdom. The increase in pilgrim numbers compared to last year was facilitated by expanded infrastructure, improved crowd-management systems, and the introduction of digital services across the holy sites of Mina, Arafat, and Muzdalifah. The Makkah Route Initiative also expanded, enabling hundreds of thousands of pilgrims to complete their immigration and customs procedures before departing their home countries, thus streamlining the arrivals process.
To support Hajj operations and ensure the safety of pilgrims, more than 441,000 personnel have been deployed, including security officers, healthcare workers, transport coordinators, and emergency responders. In a separate gesture of goodwill, King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman exchanged Eid greetings with leaders from across the Islamic world, expressing hopes for ongoing peace, stability, and prosperity in Muslim nations.