RIYADH, 6 February — The annual presentation of the King Faisal International Prize for 2001 will be held on Feb. 17.
The prize demonstrates the foundation's appreciation to dedicated men and women whose contributions make a positive difference, those who exceptionally serve Islam and Muslims and scientists and scholars who make significant advances in areas that benefit humanity.
The ceremony will be held under the auspices of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd and will be attended by Prince Sultan, second deputy prime minister and minister of defense and aviation.
Professor Sir Roy Yorke Calne of UK, and Professors Norman Shumway and Thomas Starzl, both from the US, shared the King Faisal International Prize for Medicine for their outstanding contributions in the field of organ transplantation. Professor Sajeev O. John, a Canadian, and Professor Chen Ning Yang from the US receive the Science Prize for their contributions in physics.
The prize for Arabic literature goes jointly to Jordanian Ibrahim Al-Saafin and Professor Mansour Al-Hazimi from King Saud University in Riyadh, for their study of the various genres of modern Arabic prose.
The High Commission for Donations to Bosnia-Herzegovina receives the 2001 Service to Islam prize.
As none of the candidates met the standards of the selection committee, 2001 prize for Islamic Studies has been withheld.
The cash award of SR750,000 ($200,000) for each category brings the total prize value to $1 million. Each winner also receives a 200-gram, 22-carat gold medallion and a certificate. In addition to being one of the world's richest prizes, the King Faisal International Prize ranks prominently among the most prestigious international awards.
Institutions and organizations around the world nominate candidates for the prizes. Service to Islam nominees are reviewed only in the final Selection Committee meeting.
Nominations for each of the other four prizes go through a review process that lasts several months. Winners are chosen at the King Faisal International Prize headquarters in Riyadh.
These rigorous procedures have earned the King Faisal International Prize the esteem of scientific and academic communities. The 2001 winners bring the total to 134 laureates from 35 countries. (KUNA)
