Saudi poet wins Okaz prize

Saudi poet Eissa Ali Mohammed Jaraba has won this year’s Okaz Prize. This was announced by Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal here Tuesday. The prize for young poets went to Haider Jawad Al-Abdullah, also from the Kingdom.
Jaraba, who was selected for the prize from 48 contestants from Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries, will get a cash award of SR300,000. Al-Abdullah was picked for the prize from 13 contestants.
“The total value of Okaz Prizes has reached SR1.5 million,” said Prince Khaled, adding that 602 individuals from 14 countries were in the contest for the various cultural prizes.
Prince Khaled thanked Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and Crown Prince Salman for their support to Souk Okaz project as part of the government’s efforts to promote the country’s culture and traditions.
Okaz prizes will be distributed during the Souk Okaz festival, which is scheduled to be held in Taif on Sept. 10. “The festival will witness the launch of the Okaz Center for Arab Poetic Studies,” the governor said.
Spelling out other activities of the festival, Prince Khaled said it would include six seminars attended by leading intellectuals from Saudi Arabia and other countries.
As many as 15 events have been planned for Souk Okaz Street in addition to five dramas and a number of folk events attended by troupes from different parts of the Makkah region.
Education Minister Prince Faisal bin Abdullah announced the prizes for photography and Arab calligraphy, each with a cash award of SR100,000 to be distributed among the three top winners.
Abdullah Al-Shathry of Saudi Arabia won the first prize in photography. Majed Al-Amiry of Jordan won the second place while Ali Al-Ghafry of Oman third place, Ibrahim Al-Ruhaimy of Saudi Arabia fourth place and Arwa Al-Hausawi of Saudi Arabia fifth place.
In Arabic calligraphy, Muhammad Noor Amjad of Pakistan won first place with a cash award of SR50,000. Mustafa Barildar of Turkey won the second prize and Farhad Yassin Nader of Iraq took third prize.
Culture and Information Minister Abdul Aziz Khoja announced the winners of “Lauha Wa Qaseeda” category: Abdul Rahman Yahya of Morocco, Abdul Rahman Al-Sulaimi of Saudi Arabia and Maleeh bint Abdullah.
On behalf of Higher Education Minister Khaled Al-Anqari, Taif University President Abdul Elah Banaja announced the prize for excellence and scientific innovation and Dr. Ali bin Abdullah Al-Shatwi was the winner.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, Prince Khaled honored the sponsors of Souk Okaz, including Saudi Research & Marketing Group. The memento for SRMG was received by Tarek Mishkhas, editor in chief of Urdu News and Malayalam News.