Prince Khaled Al-Faisal: Thought is challenged only by thought

Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal attends the opening ceremony of Makkah cultural exhibition on Sunday. (SPA)

JEDDAH: Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal stressed that thought is challenged only by thought and that is why the country has chosen the logo “How to be a Role Model” at this point in time.
Following the opening of the Makkah cultural exhibition, the prince addressed the participants saying: “Since this symposium is dedicated to questions, let me shorten it to two: How and why. I will start with why this slogan and the project.”
“It is an extension of previous projects and slogans, the first being about fostering a culture of hope and optimism to face the culture of frustration. Later we dealt with our attitude toward the first world and then tackled respect for the system and the moderation of Saudi Arabia, and today we talk about “how to become a role model.”
Prince Khaled said the reason for choosing the slogan “How to be a Role Model” at this particular time is the knowledge that thought can only be faced with thought.
“There is a fierce campaign against Islam and Muslims that our country is feeling even stronger,” he said.
Addressing the participants in the seminar, Prince Khaled said: “our country, the leadership and the people have constantly challenged everyone who wanted to thwart its progress,” reminding of former US president Franklin Roosevelt’s visit to the Arab world and his meeting with King Abdulaziz (may God have mercy on him), before Saudi Arabia became one of the world’s largest oil exporters.
“It was a visit to the society and its leadership. Today, the president of the US has chosen Saudi Arabia to be his first stop of his visits abroad, where he will meet with King Salman bin Abdulaziz.”
He stressed that “this is your journey of victory and leadership toward becoming a role model in view of our faith in our religion and our determination to preserve it, as well as of our abidance by our principles and values without bowing to threats.”
Role models in society are parents at home, teachers in school, imams in mosques and officials in the administration.
Adviser at the Ministry of the Interior Saed Al-Orabi Al-Harthi, who moderated the session, said that the human being’s mind and behavior are the makers or destroyers of civilization, adding that when human beings make progress, it benefits not only themselves, but the entire nation.
Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais, chief of the Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques, stressed “that our true religion urges us in the Qur’an and the Sunnah to emulate good examples.
He also said that the nation’s religion and social bond are facing a vicious onslaught.
In his speech which held a message to the security officers, head of public security Othman Al-Muhraj stressed the importance of proper communication with people everywhere, even violators, using good manners and smiling in a way that does not detract from the firmness required by security work.