RIYADH: Under the patronage of King Salman, the 47th King Faisal Prize ceremony was held on Monday night in Riyadh, recognizing six laureates for their groundbreaking contributions in various fields that have advanced knowledge and served humanity.
The awards were presented by Riyadh Governor Prince Faisal bin Bandar at a ceremony attended by Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, governor of Makkah and chairman of the King Faisal Prize board, along with several princes, senior officials, academics, and scientists.
Prince Turki Al-Faisal, chairman of the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, expressed gratitude to the guests and congratulated the winners.
The Service to Islam Prize was jointly awarded to two Saudi recipients: the Tebyan Qur’an Project by Liajlehum Association for developing the world’s first complete Qur’anic interpretation in sign language, and Sami Abdullah Almaqlouth for his work in preserving historic Islamic sites.
The Islamic Studies Prize, focused on archaeological studies in the Arabian Peninsula, was also shared.
Prof. Saad Abdulaziz Alrashid was honored for his foundational research in Islamic inscriptions, and Prof. Said Faiz Alsaid for his comparative work in Arabian epigraphy and ancient civilizations.
The Arabic Language and Literature Prize was withheld this year as the nominees did not meet the committee’s standards.
In the Medicine category, Prof. Michel Sadelain of the U.S. received the prize for his pioneering work in CAR-T cell therapy, a revolutionary cancer treatment using genetically modified immune cells.
The Science Prize, focused on physics, was awarded to Japanese scientist Prof. Sumio Iijima for his discovery of carbon nanotubes, a breakthrough that transformed the field of nanotechnology and led to wide-ranging applications in electronics, energy, and biomedicine.
Established in 1977, the King Faisal Prize has honored 301 laureates from 45 countries. Each winner receives SR750,000 ($200,000), a 24-carat gold medal, and a certificate signed by Prince Khalid Al-Faisal.
[Reported by Arab News]
