Saudi Gazette report

BEIJING — The Saudi Ministry of Culture, in a significant move to bolster cultural ties and dialogue between Saudi Arabia and China, has announced the inception of the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Award for Cultural Cooperation between the two nations.

This prestigious award, unveiled at the King Abdulaziz Public Library's branch in Beijing, aims to enhance creative cooperation and promote a deeper understanding of the cultural achievements of both countries among their academic, cultural, media, literary, and artistic communities.

Recognizing the efforts of researchers, artists, linguists, and translators from both Saudi Arabia and China, the award offers grants to support the continuation and expansion of their work, thereby fostering increased collaboration and shared creative endeavors.

The announcement was followed by a meeting between Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan and Peking University President Gong Qihuang. This meeting underscored the crucial role of educational institutions like Peking University in advancing cultural collaboration between the two countries.

Prince Bader highlighted the award as a cornerstone for building cultural bridges and strengthening the ties between China and Saudi Arabia through various artistic, literary, and academic pursuits. He expressed his enthusiasm for the launch of the awards, which are intended to celebrate the rich cultural heritage of both nations and lay the groundwork for a lasting partnership that fosters a deeper appreciation and understanding of each other's cultures.

The award spans several categories, encompassing cultural research and studies, artistic and creative works, translations between Arabic and Chinese, and recognizing a cultural personality of the year from each country for their significant contributions to culture. Furthermore, special categories aim to encourage young researchers, creators, and translators to engage in cross-cultural communication, underscoring the initiative's commitment to nurturing the next generation of cultural ambassadors.

Open to individuals and institutions from both Saudi Arabia and China, nominations for the award can be submitted through a dedicated form available on the award's official website. The culmination of the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Cultural Cooperation Award will be an annual ceremony that celebrates the shared cultural talents of the two countries and the achievements of the winners across all categories, symbolizing the growing cultural partnership between Saudi Arabia and China.