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Under the patronage and in the presence of His Excellency the President of King Khalid University, Prof. Faleh bin Rajaallah Al-Solami, the university celebrated the 2025 International Volunteer Day Forum. The event took place at the Exhibition and Convention Center in the University City at Al-Fara’a, attended by several leaders from the Asir region, university officials, staff, and partners from both government and private sectors, reflecting the university's pivotal role in supporting the institutional volunteering ecosystem across the region.
The forum commenced with a tour by the University President through the accompanying exhibition, which featured various participating entities from within and outside the university. During the tour, His Excellency was briefed on volunteer initiatives and programs, models of community partnerships, and the efforts of participating entities to enhance volunteer work and develop its institutional and social impact. Additionally, His Excellency witnessed the signing of several cooperation agreements between the Consumer Protection Association and the Deanship of Student Affairs, the Erada Center for Medical Rehabilitation and the College of Applied Medical Sciences in Abha "Rehabilitation Department", and the Ehsan Association for Legal Services and the College of Law.
In his speech during the ceremony, His Excellency the President of King Khalid University, Prof. Faleh bin Rajallah Al-Solami, emphasized that the remarkable development in the volunteering system within the university and the Asir region is a result of Divine grace, followed by the support of the wise leadership and the inspiring role of HRH Prince Turki bin Talal bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Asir and Chairman of the Asir Development Authority. His Highness has contributed to establishing volunteer work as an influential developmental path and an enabler for human and social development.
His Excellency explained that the Asir region, thanks to this leadership, has achieved local and national milestones and awards in the field of volunteer work. He expressed his confidence that all sectors of the region are moving forward (God willing) to be at the forefront of entities leading volunteer work at the Kingdom level, highlighting the importance of integrative partnerships between the university and various entities to enhance impact and sustainability. He also praised the efforts made by the University Vice Presidency for Business and Community Partnership, represented by the General Administration of Volunteering and Community Partnership, as well as the contributions of colleges, deanships, departments, and volunteer coordinators across the university.
For his part, the Vice President for Business and Community Partnership, Prof. Abdullatif bin Ibrahim Al-Hadithi, welcomed the attendees, emphasizing that celebrating International Volunteer Day embodies the university's appreciation for the values of giving and the role of volunteering in building individuals, empowering society, and creating civilization. He noted that the university has successfully transitioned volunteer work from individual initiatives into an integrated institutional system that transforms the passion for giving into a sustainable impact. He stated that King Khalid University achieved first place among Saudi universities in activating volunteer work at the Ministry of Education level for the second consecutive year, confirming that volunteering at the university is not a seasonal activity but a sustainable institutional path that establishes leadership and creates impact.
The Vice President reviewed the volunteer performance indicators, explaining that the number of volunteers registered on the National Volunteer Portal reached 81,589, which is the highest among universities and educational institutions in the Kingdom. University affiliates accounted for 32% of this number, exceeding national averages, while volunteer hours exceeded 5.4 million hours, with an estimated economic value of approximately 9.95 million SAR. He also noted the implementation of more than 3,000 volunteer opportunities and events during the year, including health and social initiatives, rehabilitation programs, and national participation in Hajj seasons.
The ceremony featured several accompanying segments showcasing the journey of volunteer work at the university, including visual presentations, an educational play, and a documentary film highlighting the impact of volunteer initiatives and the experiences of volunteers. This was followed by honoring the entities that contributed to activating volunteer work, those that achieved distinguished rates in volunteer numbers and hours, and the winning entities at the level of university vice-presidencies and branches. The ceremony also included honoring distinguished university affiliates (faculty, staff, and students) in recognition of their active contributions, as well as reviewing several qualitative volunteer initiatives and highlighting models of community partnerships.
