The annual presentation ceremony of the King Faisal International Prize was held at the Prince Sultan Hall of the Al-Faisaliah Hotel on 9th March, 2008. This year’s presentation, which was attended by the Crown Prince Sultan, Deputy Premier and Minister of Defence and Aviation, Prince Khaled al-Faisal, Director-General of the King Faisal Foundation, and other members of the royal family, Cabinet Ministers and foreign diplomats,  marked the 30th anniversary of the Awards. The recipients bring the total number of laureates who have won KFIP awards to 195.
King Abdullah received the King Faisal International Prize (KFIP) for his Service to Islam. King Abdullah was selected for the prize in recognition of his outstanding services to Islam and Muslims, both within the Kingdom and abroad. His domestic accomplishments included the establishment of mega economic cities and King Abdullah University for Science and Technology and the formation of Human Rights Commission and National Dialogue Centre.
In his acceptance speech the King said: “I would like to tell you frankly that when I heard that I have been selected for the King Faisal Prize for Service to Islam, I was reluctant to accept it as I know that there are many other Muslims who deserve the prize more than me...Finally, after praying to God, I decided to accept it on behalf of all Muslims who serve Islam silently away from the limelight without waiting for any reward or thanks.”
King Abdullah, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, distributed prizes for Arabic Language and Literature  to joint winners: Professor Ahmed Matloob Al-Nasiri from Iraq and Professor Muhammad Rachad Hamzaoui from Tunisia.
The prize for Medicine went jointly to Professor Donald Dean Trunkey and Professor Basil Arthur Pruitt from the United States. Professor Rudiger Wehner from Germany received the award for Science.
Each of the four prizes consisted of a hand-written certificate summarizing the laureate’s work, a commemorative 24-carat gold medal and a cash award of SR750, 000 ($200,000).
In his welcome address speech, Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, who is also Chairman of the KFIP Board of Trustees, thanked King Abdullah and Crown Prince Sultan for their support. “What an evening, gathering scholars in celebrating knowledge, reinforcing our resolve to serve Muslims and raising our zeal to a new pinnacle,” said Prince Khaled. “Prizes enable the foundation to show its appreciation to men and women who make outstanding contributions in their respective fields,” he said.
Accepting the award, Professor Trunkey said: “This prize is significant to me at this time as I increase my effort to improve trauma care delivery on an international basis. A prestigious award such as this recognizes the terrible impact injury has worldwide and in particular in developing regions.”
Prince Khaled explained that recipients are selected according to merit alone making the Faisal Prize as one of the most prestigious international recognition to be given to scholars and scientists.
The KFIP has acted as a springboard for laureates – 12 KFIP winners have gone on to become Nobel Prize laureates.
King Faisal Foundation in collaboration with Al-Faisal University organized a medical symposium on Saturday, 8th of March, marking the 30th year of the King Faisal International Prize. Eleven of the Faisal Medicine Prize winners spoke about the common problems ailing Saudi Arabia, such as increasing rates of hepatitis, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and breast cancer.
The panel of doctors used the symposium as a springboard to demonstrate the obstacles and breakthroughs of their medical research, covering topics of particular concern in Saudi Arabia, such as trauma burn care/management, HIV/AIDS (its history and future), cardiac diseases and diabetes.
The winners of this year’s Faisal Prize in the field of Trauma Management gave the King Faisal International Prize Memorial Lecture during the assembly. Speaking about burn wounds and trauma management, Dr. Basil A. Pruitt Jr., a 2008 Faisal Medicine Prize winner, gave a staggering statistic. The panel then discussed the issue of trauma management and how numbers of fatalities from these burn-related injuries could be avoided as well as other interesting points.
The annual presentation of the King Faisal International Prize enables the Foundation to reward dedicated men and women whose contributions make a positive impact and difference: those who exceptionally serve Islam and Muslims, and the scientists and scholars whose research results in significant advances in specific areas that benefit humanity. This incentive also encourages expanded research that may lead to important medical and scientific breakthroughs.  The Prize is awarded in the field of: Service to Islam, Islamic Studies, Arabic Language and Literature.
King Faisal International Prize is ranked among the world’s pre-eminent scientific and humanitarian awards for nearly two decades. This premier award is given by King Faisal Foundation, a large-scale philanthropic organization based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Since the prizes for Arabic Literature, Islamic Studies and Service to Islam were first awarded in 1979 and Science and Medicine were introduced in 1982 and 1983 respectively, there have been 124 laureates from 33 countries.
King Faisal International Prize recognizes leading scientists and academics for their contributions to humanity and prominent individuals whose service to Islam has benefited a large number of people. Three KFIP laureates have gone on to win the Nobel Prize. Dr. Yahya Mahmoud ibn Junaid, the 1998 winner for Islamic Studies, has recently been appointed as Secretary General of the King Faisal Centre for Research and Islamic Studies, the cultural arm of King Faisal Foundation. Dr. Junaid is renowned for his outstanding studies such as this, combined with a rigorous selection process, which have earned the King Faisal International Prize international acclaim.
These prizes, awarded annually, have a total value of $1 million. There are five categories of award: Services to Islam, Islamic Studies, Arabic Literature, Science and Medicine.
Egypt has won more King Faisal International Prizes than any other country. It has enjoyed a virtual monopoly of prizes for Arabic Literature. The United States has received 19 awards. The United Kingdom has won on 13 occasions, taking five awards in the Science category and eight in the Medicine category.
Nominations for each prize are accepted from relevant institutions and organizations from around the world. Individuals or political parties are not eligible to recommend candidates. Independent experts examine all works in two elimination rounds and forward the works of the finalists to autonomous specialist selection committees which convene at the headquarters of the King Faisal International Prize in Riyadh in order to make the final selections. – M.H.

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