Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman is a distinguished philanthropist who has been recognized at home and abroad for his service to humanity in education, health care, social welfare and many other fields, including support for the Palestinian cause.

He donated billions of riyals to various charitable organizations in health, social welfare and humanitarian services in the country, including disability research, kidney transplantation centers and orphanages.

He inherited these humanitarian qualities from the founder of the country, King Abdulaziz, coupled with his high sense of responsibility for his people’s welfare, thanks to his religious upbringing and sound foundation laid in modern education along with memorization of the Holy Qur’an at a young age.

According to a source at the King Salman Social Center (KSSC), since 1956 King Salman has led many humanitarian organizations as chairman of their boards. These organizations provide relief to many affected areas around the world plagued by war or natural disaster.

He spent nearly half-a-century in the cause of humanitarian activities and was among the first to supervise Saudi donations for the Palestinian people. Understandably, his name has been linked to the Palestinian cause.

The king chaired a number of committees and bodies for raising funds to help the needy and those affected by floods, earthquakes and disasters in the Arab and Muslim worlds. He supports Islamic world issues and advocates the cause of Muslims everywhere.

He is the president of the King Salman Center for Disability Research (KSCDR), honorary president of the Prince Fahd bin Salman Charity for the care of patients with kidney failure, and honorary president of the Saudi Center for Organ Transplantation (SCOT).

In recognition of his humanitarian work, several countries, including Bahrain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, France, Morocco, Palestine, the Philippines, Senegal and Yemen, as well as the United Nations, have conferred awards on King Salman.

King Salman is honorary president of the King Salman Social Center, honorary president of Patients Friends Committee in Riyadh and honorary president of Friends Committee of the Red Crescent in Riyadh. He is also chairman of Prince Fahd bin Salman Association for Patients with Kidney Failure. His other titles include honorary president of the Saudi Charity for Genetic Diseases; honorary president of the Association of Physical Disability for Adults. He is also the honorary president of the Saudi Society for Hearing and Speech Diseases, honorary president of Association of the Blind Charity in Riyadh and chairman of the coordinating council for charities work in Riyadh.

In the education sector, King Salman is honorary president of the charitable society for the memorization of the Holy Qur’an in Riyadh; and honorary president of the Saudi Society of the Holy Qur’an and its Sciences. He is also president of the King Salman Award for Memorizing the Holy Qur’an in the Kingdom; honorary president of Hamad Al-Jasser Charity Foundation; chairman of the board of directors of the Riyadh Philanthropic Society for Sciences, and under its umbrella, Prince Sultan University and the Prince Salman Oasis of Sciences.

The king also became chairman of the Al-Birr Association in Riyadh; honorary president of the Saudi Historical Society; honorary president of the Board of Social Responsibility in Riyadh; and chairman of the supreme committee for endowments at King Saud University. He serves as chairman of the board of directors of the King Salman Charitable Housing; chairman of the Charitable Society for the Care of Orphans in Riyadh; and president of Bin Baz Charity Project to help couples wishing to marry.

King Salman supports various committees and bodies outside the Kingdom. He was chairman of the Committee for Suez Victims Donation in 1956 and also chairman of the main committee to collect donations for Algeria in 1956. He was nominated president of the people’s committee to help the families of the martyrs of Jordan in 1967; president of the people’s committee to help the Palestinian people; head of the popular committee for relief to the victims of Pakistan in 1973. He became the president of the people’s committee to support the war effort in Egypt in the wake of the outbreak of the 1973 war between Egypt and Israel.

He was nominated president of the people’s committee to support the war effort in Syria following the 1973 war between Syria and Israel. He became chairman of the general authority for receiving donations for Afghan Mujahideen in 1980; head of the local committee for the relief of victims of the floods in Sudan in 1988; and chairman of the local committee to collect donations for the Democratic People’s Republic of Yemen in 1989. He also served as chairman of the local committee to provide aid, shelter and assistance for Kuwaitis after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990; and chairman of the local committee to receive donations for those affected by floods in Bangladesh in 1991. He became president of the high authority to collect donations for Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1992; and head of the supreme commission for the collection of donations for the victims of the 1992 earthquake in Egypt.

He is also chief of the international exhibition “Saudi Arabia Yesterday and Today”, which was held in a number of Arab and European countries and in the United States and Canada between 1985 and 1992.

King Salman has received various awards and decorations. In recognition of his humanitarian efforts he received the King Abdulaziz Scarf, the highest decoration in Saudi Arabia. In 1995, he was awarded the Disabled Children’s Association Award for humanitarian service in Saudi Arabia.

He received an honorary doctorate in literature from the University of Umm Al-Qura in Makkah in recognition of the significant role he played in promoting the arts on March 29, 2008.

He was awarded an honorary doctorate in the history of the Saudi state from the Islamic University of Madinah for his distinguished efforts in preserving Saudi history given on March 29, 2011.

He also won an award in support of the movement of information and knowledge in Saudi Arabia sponsored by top advisory body at the Library and Information Association of Saudi Arabia in March 2010.

He won the highest decoration of the Republic of Senegal presented by Senegalese President Abdou Diouf during the king’s visit to Senegal in July 1999. In May 2001, he was awarded the Bahrain award for the humanitarian work. He also won an award for his efforts in the victory of Islam and Muslims in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

On April 14, 2014, he received an honorary doctorate from Jamia Milia Islamia in Delhi in recognition for his humanitarian efforts and charitable commitment to support education and excellence, during an official visit to India.

He also received a medal from the city of Paris given by President Jacques Chirac in 1985. In 1997, he received a United Nations shield for his effort to reduce the effects of poverty in the world.