Saudi Arabia awards King Faisal Prize to five scholars

Saudi Crown Prince Salman Bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Premier and Minister of Defense, awarded five international scholars on Monday the prestigious King Faisal International Prize at a glittering ceremony.

This year’s prize recognized excellent achievements in service to Islam, Islamic Studies, Arabic Language and Literature, Medicine, and Science.

Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz, who was recently named as second-in-line to the Saudi throne, told reporters that 26 scholars who were previously awarded King Faisal International Prize for distinguished works later became Nobel laureates.

“I congratulate all the winners. But I would like to add one information: Twenty six who received King Faisal awards, took Nobel prizes later on,” Prince Muqrin said.

In statements to Al Arabiya News Channel, Prince Khaled al-Faisal, Executive President of King Faisal Foundation, spoke about the importance of encouraging scientific development in the kingdom and the region.

“Nations and people are the model for development, not militias and their infighting and divisions. Progress is made through thoughtful, cultural developments, and great moral values and principles which built this country, the Saudi nation and the Saudi individual,” he said.

The King Faisal International Prize for Science in mathematics was awarded to Professor Gerd Faltings from Germany. The Prize for Medicine was awarded to Chinese Professor Yuk Ming Dennis Lo.

Professor Abdulwahab Ibrahim Abou Sulaiman, member of the Council of Senior Islamic Scholars in Saudi Arabia was awarded the King Faisal International Prize’s for Islamic Studies.

The prize for the Service to Islam was received by Ahmed Abou Bakr Lemu from Nigeria.

The Prize for Arabic Language and Literature was awarded to Abdullah Ibrahim Allawi Albussabah of Iraq.