On behalf of His Royal Highness Prince Khalid bin Faisal bin Abdulaziz, Advisor to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and Governor of Makkah Region, His Royal Highness Prince Saud bin Mishaal bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Governor of the Region, crowned the winners of the Makkah Excellence Award in its seventeenth session for the year 2025. The ceremony was held in the presence of a number of Their Highnesses the Princes, Excellencies and officials, where entities and individuals who made qualitative contributions and pioneering initiatives in nine different branches serving the region, its residents and visitors were honored.
Background and history of the Makkah Excellence Award
The Makkah Excellence Award was established in 2008 at the initiative of the Governor of Makkah Region, Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, with the strategic objective of fostering a culture of excellence and quality in work, and of developing human capital and the region in one of the holiest places on earth. The award seeks to stimulate positive competition among the public and private sectors, as well as individuals, to present best practices and projects that contribute to achieving sustainable development in the region. Over its successive cycles, the award has attracted more than 5,300 nominations, reflecting its status as a leading platform for celebrating innovation and creativity and honoring exemplary models that serve the region and align with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.
The importance of the award and its developmental impact
The Makkah Excellence Award derives its significance from being a key driver of development in a vital region that receives millions of Muslims annually for Hajj and Umrah. Recognizing outstanding initiatives in areas such as Hajj and Umrah services, urban development, environmental sustainability, and administrative excellence has an impact not only locally but also regionally and internationally, enhancing the Kingdom's reputation as a leading nation in serving the Two Holy Mosques and providing world-class services to pilgrims. The award also plays a pivotal role in encouraging technological innovation, supporting promising economic projects, and promoting social responsibility, all of which positively impact the quality of life for residents and improve institutional performance across various sectors.
List of winners in the seventeenth session
This year's awards recognized a selection of outstanding projects and initiatives across the nine award categories, as follows:
- The Economic Excellence Branch: It was won by the Jeddah Food Cluster, which is affiliated with the Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones “MODON”.
- The Scientific and Technical Excellence Branch: The General Directorate of Education in Jeddah Governorate won it for the “Nafes Challenge” initiative.
- Urban Excellence Branch: The Jeddah Yacht Club project won it.
- Social Excellence Branch: The award was shared between the “Sanad” City for Special Education in Makkah and the Saleh Abdullah Kamel Humanitarian Foundation.
- Administrative Excellence Branch: Won by the Supreme Hajj Committee.
- The Excellence in Hajj and Umrah Services category was won by the Hajj Projects Management Office for the “Serving the Guests of God” program.
- Humanitarian Excellence Branch: This was won by the campaign of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince and Prime Minister - may God protect him - for blood donation.
- Environmental Excellence Award: Won by the Environment Fund for the “Treatment and Protection of Beaches” initiative.
- Cultural Excellence Branch: The General Entertainment Authority won it for the “Following in His Footsteps” project.
