JEDDAH: Crown Prince Sultan announced an annual contribution of SR10 million to the Prince Salman Center for Disability Research (PSCDR) and urged businessmen and philanthropists to support the center’s humanitarian activities. “Every effort in the service of the handicapped will be recorded in golden letters,” he said.
Addressing a meeting of the founders of Prince Salman Association for Disability Research at Abdul Maqsud Khoja's residence here on Tuesday night, Prince Sultan, who is the association’s honorary chairman, commended Riyadh Gov. Prince Salman’s charitable activities. “He is a man of many virtues and a valuable asset to the country,” the crown prince said of the governor.
In his speech, Prince Sultan called for greater efforts to increase the welfare of the handicapped, saying: “It is our religious duty.” He urged people to spend their money in the work of God without expecting any material benefits or thanks.
“In appreciation of the center’s humanitarian activities, I would like to announce a contribution of SR10 million and this amount will be an annual contribution from me to the center,” he said.
Prince Sultan arrived accompanied by Prince Salman and Prince Faisal bin Sultan, secretary-general of the Prince Sultan Charitable Foundation. He was greeted on arrival by Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Prince Sultan bin Salman, chairman of the association, and Khoja, a founding member.
In his welcome address, Khoja thanked Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and Prince Sultan for their continuous support to the organization. The meeting also witnessed the signing of agreements with the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), Saudi Credit Bank and King Abdulaziz City of Science and Technology.
The crown prince also launched the interactive website of the center’s family village that was set up with the financial support of the IDB. The new agreements with the IDB and the Saudi Credit Bank were aimed at securing SR150 million to finance small-scale projects related to the handicapped during the next five years.
Earlier, Prince Sultan bin Salman signed 10 separate accords for the Prince Salman Center for Disability Research. “These agreements are aimed at reaching out to the international community in a spirit of collaboration and help us achieve our goals to serve disability research,” the prince told reporters.
Prince Sultan bin Salman thanked the crown prince for his generous contribution and said it would boost the center’s research works. “Prince Sultan’s donation will be set aside for an annual research program named after him,” he added. He hoped that the number of the association’s founders would reach 200 by 2010.
The Prince Salman Center for Disability Research was established 15 years ago. The center has conducted research and many studies concerning disabilities.
