Culture & Education | Friday 6 May, 2016 2:51 pm |

In a ceremony held in Sharjah, Sultan Al Owais Foundation honoured King Faisal Foundation as one of the winners of the fourteenth session which was distributed by Dr Anwar Mohammad Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Foundation. 

His Highness Prince Bandar bin Saud bin Khalid Al Saud, the Secretary General of the King Faisal Foundation, received the award on behalf of His Royal Highness Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, CEO of KFF. During his speech, HH Prince Bandar expressed his gratitude for the Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Foundation, its Board of Trustees, the judging committee, and all who had worked at the Al Owais foundation for their outstanding efforts. As a representative of King Faisal Foundation pillar programmes - which include King Faisal International Prize, the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, AlFaisal University, Effat University, and King Faisal schools - Prince Bandar expressed his sincerest appreciation for honouring King Faisal Foundation for the Al Owais Award.

HH Prince Bandar noted that the Sultan Al Owais Award is one of the most prominent awards in the Arab world that focuses on the creativity and cultural achievements in the Arabic literary field. He said, “This award has been, for over three decades, striving towards celebrating and honouring those with achievements and innovation.” He indicated that this award has proven its objectivity and impartiality throughout the years as it recognizes the achievements and honours the winners, which now include the Gulf and Arab Regions.

HH Prince Bandar referred to some of the remarkable individuals alongside him, mentioning one of whom, Dr. Roshdi Hifni Rashed, who had also won a King Faisal International Prize in 2007. Alongside King Faisal Foundation and Dr. Roshdi Hifni Rashed, other winners included: Emirati poet Habib Al Sayegh for poetry, Egyptian novelist Youssef Al Qa'eed and Kuwaiti novelist Ismail Fahd Ismail for Stories Novels & Drama, Egyptian professor Dr. Salah Fadl and Syrian critic Dr. Kamal Abu Deeb for Criticism & Literature Studies. Moreover, HH Prince Bandar pointed out that throughout the years eleven other winners were granted both the King Faisal International Prize as well as the Sultan Al Owais Award.

The ceremony was attended by His Excellency Abdul Rahman bin Mohammed Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention in the United Arab Emirates, Mr. Humaid bin Nasser Al Owais and Mr. Saeed Al Naboodah, Acting Director General of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, in addition to a number of intellectual and literary individuals and members of the Board of Trustees of the Al Owais Foundation.

The number of winners of the Sultan Al Owais Award since its inception has reached 86 winners, from a total of 1575 candidates and nominations for 2016-2017 is now open. The winner of the Sultan Al Owais Award receives a certificate of appreciation, a gold medal and a plaque; in addition to the monetary prize of 120 thousand US dollars for each of the fields.