About the Cultural Personality of the Year

The countless achievements of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques include:
•The co-establishment of the King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue. The Centre aims to enable, empower and encourage dialogue among followers of different religions and cultures around the world, and act as a hub to enhance co-operation, respect for diversity, justice and peace, and promote harmony and co-operation among those working in the field of dialogue.
•The establishment of the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology which integrates research and education, leverages the interconnectedness of science and engineering, and works to catalyse the diversification of the Saudi economy through economic and technological development.
•His courageous stand against efforts aimed at blemishing the image of Islam, Arabism and authentic Islamic and cultural values, especially extremist ideologies which put Arab and Islamic nations at risk and leave them susceptible to violence and terrorism.
•Fostering Arabic literature and culture, pioneering initiatives to promote cultural exchange among the peoples of the world and advancing intellectual interaction among civilizations, especially through the establishment of the King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Award for Translation. The Award recognises excellence in works of translation and advocates ideological, intellectual, and cultural dialogue among civilisations and promotes mutual knowledge sharing across all linguistic and geographical boundaries to support human understanding and co-existence among nations.