Muhammad Farouk Haddad, a Syrian, won a cash prize of SR60,000 for the best Arabic calligrapher while Abdul Rahman Al-Shahir, an Egyptian won the second prize worth SR40,000 in the same category.

In the photography category, Raed Safar Al-Buqami won the top prize of SR60,000 for photographers aged above 18 while Galal Al-Masri, an Egyptian, won the prize of SR40,000 for photographers aged below 18.

Awad Abusalah, a Sudanese artist, won the painting prize of SR100,000. The prize of scientific excellence, valued at SR100,000 was shared by Ahmed Saleh Al-Amoudi and Prof. Abdul Azim Farouk Jad.

The winners of the handicraft prize would be announced at the opening of Souk Okaz, an official statement said, adding that the prize is valued at SR150,000, which will be shared by four winners. Winners of the folk dance prize valued at SR100,000 would be announced during the event.

Prince Khaled said the jury withheld the prize for Okaz poem prize as the nominations received by the prize committee were not up to the mark. The committee had received 30 nominations for the prize.