The president of Elaf Group of companies for travel, tourism and hotels, was recently honoured for its contribution to a Makkah beautification initiative.

Sheikh Ziad Bin Mahfouz received the award from Saudi Arabia’s Prince Khalid Al Faisal, Governor of Makkah Province at the ceremony held at the King Abdul Aziz Historical Center in Jeddah.

Elaf Group was also the platinum sponsor of the initiative entitled “First Islamic Competition for the Beautification of Makkah”.

“This competition is a significant event especially since it highlights the history and heritage of Makkah, one of the holiest cities for Muslims that also reflects the history of Islam in general and Saudi Arabia in particular,” said Bin Mahfouz.

“This initiative aims to transform the holy city of Makkah into a showcase of Islamic art and underline the city’s historic significance especially from a religious and cultural perspective.”

“Certainly, this recognition will motivate us to continue supporting various social initiatives that aim to preserve the local heritage and culture, while reaffirming Saudi Arabia’s position as the most prominent religious, economic, and tourist destination,” he added.

The objective of the competition was to spread the art culture through paintings that depict the Islamic heritage of the holy city of Makkah.

In all 12 paintings had been chosen out of the 306 works of art submitted from 22 countries. – TradeArabia News Service