Faisal Foundation receives Sultan Bin Owais Award

RIYADH: The King Faisal Foundation was awarded the Sultan Bin Owais Cultural Award for its cultural and scientific achievements for the
year 2014/2015.

The board of trustees of the Sultan bin Ali Al-Owais Cultural Foundation decided at its recent meeting to grant the award to the King Faisal Foundation for its cultural and scientific achievements this year.
The award was given in recognition of its pioneering role in the cultural, scientific and social work services, and for being one of the largest charities in the world.
During the selection process, the board screened some 226 applications received for the award, and it went through them carefully with the help of independent judges.
The award winner is chosen based on the scientific and cultural footprint left by the organization in society. It was founded by the poet Sultan Al-Owais in 1987.
In a statement to the press, King Faisal Foundation Secretary-General Prince Bandar bin Saud bin Khalid described the award as another feather in its cap.
“Its an appreciation of the cultural and scientific services rendered by the King Faisal Foundation in accordance with the vision of the late King Faisal, who founded the institution,” he said.
He also praised the Sultan bin Ali Al-Owais Cultural Foundation for its services rendered in the dissemination of science and knowledge among the people in the region.
He highlighted the interests shown by the UAE and the Kingdom in promoting peace and security in the region.
The King Faisal Foundation was established in 1976 by the eight sons of the late King Faisal. The ongoing memorial to a great king has revitalized the traditions of Arabic and Islamic philanthropy.
The King Faisal International Prize, sponsored by the foundation, is one of the awards given for outstanding achievements of world-renowned scholars. Each of the five prize categories consists of a certificate hand written in Arabic calligraphy summarizing the laureate’s work, a commemorative 24-carat, 200-gram gold medal, uniquely cast for each prize, and a cash award of SR750,000 ($200,000). The co-winners in any category share the monetary grant.
King Faisal International Prize laureates have earned numerous prestigious national and international prizes for their efforts. In some cases, KFIP has preceded other international awards, including the Nobel Prize, thus validating the rigorous and unbiased selection process.
Since its establishment, the King Faisal Foundation has received numerous applications for scholarships from all over the world to study a multitude of majors at different levels of education, from elementary school to postdoctoral studies.
To date, the foundation has invested over SR76 million in these scholarships. Hundreds of students fr om various countries, who met the scholarship eligibility requirements, have been able to pursue different levels of education.
The foundation has also funded and implemented hundreds of charitable projects, such as the establishment of schools, universities, mosques, medical facilities and research centers, orphanages and special needs institutions for development in all corners of the globe, and supporting charitable and humanitarian organizations, donations and endowments to enable Muslim communities to promote growth and advancement.