RIYADH, 14 July 2006 — The Minister of Education and deputy head of the King Abdul Aziz & His Companions Foundation for the Gifted, Dr. Abdullah Al-Obeid, announced the winners of the third annual Scientific Inventions Competition here on Wednesday.
According to the foundation, cash prizes totaling SR1 million — the largest of its kind in the Middle East — was available to winners in this year’s competition. Sponsoring the contest and its prizes for the third consecutive year was the Abdul Latif Jameel Group.
Men and women contestants from all over the Kingdom participated in this year’s contest. Dr. Khaled Al-Suleiman, secretary general of the Scientific Invention Reward, said that this year’s contest received more participants than in previous years.
“There was a strong sense of participation this year. The number of participants was 600. That is a good number compared to the previous two years when 700 people in total participated in both years,” he said.
Al-Suleiman said the contest was open to anyone between the ages of six and 25 and who lived in the Kingdom, regardless of whether they were Saudis or non-Saudis. The secretary general explained that the foundation and contest aimed at nurturing the talent of gifted youngsters and to encourage them to think scientifically.
