RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah honored the winners of the fourth National Cultural Awards in Riyadh on Monday evening.
In a grand ceremony held under the patronage of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Prince Badr presided over the event, which brought together notable figures from Saudi Arabia’s cultural landscape.
This year’s awards recognized outstanding achievements across a range of sectors, highlighting the Kingdom’s continued dedication to fostering creative talent under Saudi Vision 2030.
In his opening speech, Prince Badr praised the crown prince’s unwavering support for cultural development.
“Our country is experiencing a significant cultural renaissance,” he said.
The minister also announced two new categories to expand the scope of cultural expression: The cultural media award and the handicrafts award.
The cultural personality of the year award went to Dr. Saad Al-Sowayan, a leading figure in anthropology specializing in oral history and Nabati poetry.
Other notable winners included writer Diya Youssef, who received the youth culture award, and the Jabal Al-Fayrouz Foundation, which was honored for its efforts in protecting international cultural heritage.
In the private sector, MBC Group took home the award for cultural institutions, while the King Faisal Foundation was recognized in the nonprofit category.
The awards ceremony honored winners across a wide spectrum of cultural sectors. Among them were Osama Al-Muslim for fiction, Dr. Walid Al-Omari for translation and Abadi Al-Johar for music.
The diverse categories reflect the Kingdom’s commitment to supporting a broad array of cultural expression, from architecture and literature to performing arts.
Speaking to Arab News, Sultan Al-Bazie, CEO of the Theater and Performing Arts Commission, highlighted the importance of the awards in boosting the cultural sector.
“Awards motivate all practitioners in the cultural sectors to present their best work, thus contributing to the overall development of cultural production in the Kingdom,” he said.
Abdulrahman Al-Mutawwa, the official spokesperson for the Ministry of Culture, described the initiative as a vital platform for showcasing Saudi talent. “The National Cultural Awards is the most important platform that the cultural sector and its professionals aspire to participate in,” he said, adding that the event serves as a source of support and empowerment for cultural practitioners.
Prominent Saudi actor, writer and producer Abdullah Al-Sadhan expressed his gratitude at being part of the event, describing it as “truly wonderful and amazing.” He encouraged all creatives to continue their efforts, noting the opportunities that future editions of the awards will provide.
With the addition of new award categories and growing recognition of Saudi creatives, the Kingdom is poised to further solidify its role as a global cultural leader.
