Prince Dr. Naif bin Thunayan bin Mohammed, the General Supervisor of the King Salman Center for the Study of the History and Civilization of the Arabian Peninsula at King Saud University, and the Secretary-General of the King Salman Global Award for Graduate Studies in this field, announced that the center will hold the award ceremony for its third session for the year 2026.

Details of the Ceremony and Its Patronage

Prince Naif explained that the event will take place tomorrow (Monday) on the campus of King Saud University, under the patronage of Prince Faisal bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, the Special Advisor to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the King Abdulaziz Foundation.

Award Objectives and Promotion of Scientific Research

He noted that the award seeks to recognize the efforts of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, in supporting researchers and scholars. It also aims to motivate graduate students at Saudi and foreign universities to conduct research related to the history and civilization of the Arabian Peninsula, and to foster a spirit of competition in preparing distinguished academic theses both within and outside the kingdom.

Award Fields and Target Categories

Prince Naif stated that the scope of the award covers everything related to the history and civilization of the Arabian Peninsula. The target beneficiaries are graduate students who have completed master’s or doctoral theses of outstanding quality in this field. The award is granted in two categories: master’s theses (or equivalent) and doctoral theses, and includes a financial component, medals, and specially designed certificates bearing the award’s logo.

Developments in the Current Session

Prince Naif explained that this session has seen notable improvements in its basic system, both in the formation of judging committees and in the rules for evaluating research. Additionally, the scope of nominations has been expanded to include all Arab and foreign universities, after being limited in its previous two sessions to researchers from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

He concluded by expressing his deep gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and his faithful Crown Prince, for their continuous support of scientific research and its programs in all academic institutions inside and outside the kingdom.

King Saud University

King Saud University, founded in 1957 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, is the country’s first and largest public university, originally named Riyadh University before being renamed in 1982. It was established to modernize and expand higher education in the kingdom, and today it offers a wide range of programs across multiple campuses, including a notable College of Medicine and a state-of-the-art research facility. The university plays a key role in Saudi Arabia’s educational and cultural development, blending tradition with innovation.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques

The title “Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques” is the official honorific used by the kings of Saudi Arabia, signifying their responsibility for protecting and managing the two holiest sites in Islam: the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca and the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina. The title was first adopted in 1986 by King Fahd bin Abdulaziz, replacing the earlier term “His Majesty,” to emphasize the kingdom’s religious role. It reflects the monarch’s duty to ensure the safety, upkeep, and accessibility of these sacred mosques for millions of pilgrims each year.

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a vast nation on the Arabian Peninsula, established in 1932 by King Abdulaziz Al Saud through the unification of several tribal regions. It is the birthplace of Islam and home to its two holiest cities, Mecca and Medina, giving it profound religious significance. Historically, the area was a crossroads for ancient trade routes, and today the country is a major global oil producer undergoing rapid social and economic transformation under Vision 2030.

Gulf Cooperation Council

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is a political and economic alliance of six Middle Eastern countries—Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman—founded in 1981 in Abu Dhabi. Its formation aimed to foster regional stability, economic integration, and cooperation among member states, particularly in response to security concerns following the Iranian Revolution and the Iran-Iraq War. Today, the GCC works to coordinate policies on trade, defense, and infrastructure, though it has faced internal tensions, such as the 2017–2021 diplomatic rift with Qatar.