Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman has approved granting citizenship to Dr. Richard Mortel, editor-in-chief of the Darah Journal of Arabian Peninsula Studies, a popular English cultural magazine based in Riyadh.

Prince Faisal bin Salman, special advisor to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and chairman of the Board of Directors of the King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives (Darah), congratulated Dr. Mortel on the occasion of obtaining the Saudi citizenship. During his meeting with Dr. Mortel at the Darah headquarters in Riyadh, Prince Faisal underscored the keenness of Saudi Arabia and its leadership on attracting experts and thinkers from various fields so as to contribute to the process of building a strong cultural and scientific society in the country.

Dr. Mortel, who holds a PhD in Islamic History with First Class Honors from Cairo University in 1983, is a renowned expert in Islamic history and academic editing. He has significantly contributed to enhancing cultural and historical knowledge through his research and writings. Dr. Mortel has spent 47 years working at Saudi universities since 1977, during which he served as a faculty member at King Saud University and Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University and as a scientific advisor at the King Abdulaziz Foundation.

Dr. Mortel has made several academic achievements, including authoring 18 scientific research papers, books, and studies in national history. He has also worked in historical verification, academic editing, and reviewing scientific books. He is a member of several advisory bodies and scientific arbitration committees and has received many certificates of appreciation and honors for his scientific efforts.

Granting Dr. Mortel Saudi citizenship recognizes the vital role he has played and continues to play in enriching Saudi Arabia’s cultural heritage through his research and contributions to documenting Islamic history and enhancing scientific understanding of heritage. It is also a gesture of appreciation from the wise leadership for his distinguished services in his academic field. These contributions have played a role in fostering cultural dialogue and knowledge exchange.