Saudi Gazette report

THE King Faisal International Prize has been playing a key role in enriching knowledge over the last few decades. As the prestigious award prepares to celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2018, Saudi Gazette met with Dima Al-Azem, public relations director of King Faial Foundation and King Faisal International Prize, to shed light on the highest international standards adopted by the annual prize to recognize major contributions from around the world in the service of humanity.

Recalling the award session this year, Dima said: "Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, chairman of the board of King Faisal International Prize, announced the winners of KFIP 2017 in January. On the occasion, we were honored to announce Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman as the winner of the award in the Service to Islam category for his unwavering contributions to Islam. The winners in the other four categories were invited to Riyadh to receive the prize from the King at a glittering ceremony in April," she said.

The prize is awarded in five categories: Service to Islam, Islamic Studies, Arabic Language and Literature, Medicine and Science.

Elaborating on the award categories, Dima said: "The categories remain the same for every edition of the award. However, under each category different topics are chosen each year, except for the Service to Islam category, which is an honorary prize that is awarded based on notable services to Islam and humanity."

KFIP is considered a noble initiative to honor pioneering researchers and professors who have spent decades of their lives serving humanity through their knowledge contributions. Over the years, it has drawn global attention to dedicated efforts made by distinguished individuals and institutions to inspire others to learn, think and become productive in their fields of service.

Dima explained that the General Secretariat of KFIP has put in place a comprehensive selection process to ensure that the prize is given to the most deserving candidate.

"We start by sending requests for nominations to different scientific and academic institutions around the world in the respective field related to each prize category. Once the nominations have been submitted, they are evaluated by specialized experts to ensure that they comply with the set conditions and standards of the prize.”

The process doesn’t end there. The nominations are then sent to internationally renowned referees related to the topics for the prize, who on their part prepare detailed reports and recommendations on the nominated works, Dima explained.

In the next phase of the selection process, the Selection Committee for each prize meets in Riyadh to evaluate the referee reports, select the winners and choose the prize topics for the following year. These selection committees consist of nationally and internationally prominent scientists in their disciplines, Dima said, adding that the selection committees' decisions are considered final.

Emphasizing the highest credibility of the award, Dima said: "The Prize goes through a meticulous process, maintaining strict confidentiality throughout its different phases. Following the selection committees’ meetings and decisions, the names of the winners are announced by the King Faisal Prize board chairman, Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, and the King Faisal Prize secretary-general."

There were instances of more than one winner in each prize category. Winners could be individuals or institutions, she said.

“Once the names are announced, we inform the winners and invite them and their families to Riyadh to receive their prizes from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, the King of Saudi Arabia, in a remarkable and memorable ceremony," she added.

“The winners must be specialized in the topics we specify for each category and they must have made outstanding accomplishments in that field. Each year the Prize goes through its annual cycle of rigorous efforts to select the best nominees and honor them for their exceptional contributions to humanity, making it one of the most renowned awards in the world,” concluded Dima.