Radio Jeddah Launches Haj Channel  

JEDDAH, 23 December 2005 — Radio Jeddah has launched the seasonal Pilgrimage Enlightenment Radio (PER) to serve Haj pilgrims and observers.

The PER will be transmitting religious programs in 14 languages during the Haj season.

Besides Arabic, the programs will be in English, French, Persian, Turkish, Hausa, Indonesian, Urdu, Bengali, Pashtu, Turkistani, Somali, Swahili, and Bambara. The last four languages have recently been added to the list by the Ministry of Culture and Information as part of its efforts to ensure a wider audience for this seasonal radio service.

The PER programs are tailored to ensure the pilgrims' proper orientation and enlightenment in topics related to the performance of pilgrimage.

PER will broadcast live comprehensive coverage of Haj, including traffic reports, movement of pilgrims, weather conditions, safety precautions, and interviews with experts, scholars and pilgrims. The program "With You On the Air" will be presented again this year.

Besides religious programs, the PER will broadcast live coverage of the days of Tarwiyah, the stay at Arafat, the Arafat Day sermon, the noon and late-afternoon prayers performed at Nimrah Mosque, the pilgrims' movement from Arafat to Muzdalifah, the Eid prayer from the Holy Mosque, and the three days of Tashreeq.

Abdullah Al-Shayea, director of the second program and PER supervisor, said that several ministries, such as the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, the Ministry of Haj and the Ministry of Interior would present special programs through the PER.