Beijing, March 28, 2024, The Saudi Ministry of Culture made a significant announcement today regarding the establishment of the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Award for Cultural Cooperation between Saudi Arabia and China. This prestigious award, unveiled at the King Abdulaziz Public Library branch in Beijing, aims to deepen cultural ties and promote collaboration between the two nations across various sectors.
The award's primary objective is to encourage creative cooperation and foster a robust cultural dialogue between Saudi Arabia and China. It seeks to showcase the achievements of both countries to diverse communities, including academia, culture, media, literature, and the arts. By recognizing the contributions of Chinese and Saudi researchers, artists, linguists, and translators, the award aims to stimulate further collaboration and shared creative endeavors.
To support the work of winners, the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Cultural Cooperation Award offers grants. This financial backing is expected to enhance collaboration and promote mutual creative output between Saudi Arabia and China.
Following the announcement, a significant meeting was held between Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al-Saud and Peking University President Gong Qihuang. The meeting emphasized Peking University's crucial role in advancing cultural collaboration between the two nations.
In his statement, the Saudi Minister of Culture highlighted the award's importance in building cultural bridges and strengthening ties through arts, literature, and academic research. He expressed delight in launching the awards, which will celebrate the rich cultural heritage of both countries and pave the way for ongoing partnerships, fostering deeper appreciation and understanding.
The Prince Mohammed bin Salman Cultural Cooperation Award comprises four main categories:
1. Cultural research and studies, covering intellectual, literary, historical, artistic, and social research.
2. Artistic and creative works, encompassing literature, visual and musical arts, short films, and technical or scientific creativity.
3. Translations between the two languages, including works identified with ISBN in culture, history, literature, and the arts.
4. The cultural personality of the year, honoring individuals from each country who have significantly contributed to culture through creativity, knowledge, and leadership.
Furthermore, additional categories such as Young Researcher, Young Creator, and Young Translator have been introduced to encourage young Saudi and Chinese talents to engage in cross-cultural communication.
Nominations for the award are open to individuals and institutions from both Saudi Arabia and China, including government, private, and non-profit organizations. The nomination process involves completing the nomination form, which will be accessible on the award's official website.
The Prince Mohammed bin Salman Cultural Cooperation Award will culminate in an annual ceremony celebrating the shared cultural talents of the two nations and honoring winners in each category. This initiative is expected to strengthen cultural bonds, promote mutual understanding, and enrich the cultural landscape of Saudi Arabia and China.
