1,000 Riyal Fine Imposed for Feeding Pigeons near Masjid al Haram
The Secretariat of the Holy Capital has implemented a strict ban on feeding pigeons in Mecca and Medina, with violators facing fines of 1,000 Saudi riyals.
The new regulation, announced to protect public health and maintain environmental cleanliness in Islam’s two holiest cities.
The secretariat has established continuous monitoring programs to enforce the ban and is encouraging citizens and visitors to participate in reporting violations.
Individuals can photograph offenders and submit evidence to local police, creating a community-based enforcement system.
Officials cite concerns about disease transmission, property damage, and environmental pollution as primary reasons for the prohibition.
The initiative represents the latest in a series of measures to enhance urban quality and public health standards in the holy cities, which host millions of pilgrims annually.
Previous regulations have addressed street vending, waste management, and public behavior to preserve the sanctity and cleanliness of the religious sites.
Municipal officials emphasized that the ban particularly targets areas around the Grand Mosque and Prophet’s Mosque, where large pigeon populations have historically gathered due to public feeding.
International seminar in Japan marks 150th birth anniversary of Mahmudkhoja Behbudi
An international scientific seminar dedicated to the 150th birth anniversary of prominent Jadid movement figure Mahmudkhoja Behbudi was held at the library of the Toyo Bunko Research Institute with the participation of scholars from Uzbekistan, Japan, and Türkiye, reports Dunyo IA.
The seminar was attended by Professor Hisao Komatsu of the University of Tokyo, a leading researcher of the Jadid movement, and was organized with the support of the Mitsubishi Foundation. Participants discussed initiatives aimed at further studying and promoting the rich intellectual and cultural legacy of the Jadid movement in Central Asia.
Another event dedicated to Behbudi's legacy was jointly organized with the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. It brought together representatives of Japan's academic community, scholars from Uzbekistan and Türkiye, as well as students studying the Uzbek language.
The program featured a book exhibition and a screening of the documentary film Mahmudkhoja Behbudi. More than 20 films on the Jadid movement were also presented to the Japanese side to support further academic and educational research.
