In a shocking turn of events, this year’s winner of Saudi Arabia’s coveted King Faisal International Prize is … King Abdullah!

JEDDAH, 9 January 2008 — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, Professor Rudiger Wehner of Germany, Professors Donald D. Trunkey and Basil A. Pruitt (both from the US), Professor Ahmad Matloob Al-Nasiri of Iraq and Professor Muhammed Rashad Al-Hamzawi of Tunisia have been declared winners of this year’s King Faisal International Prize in four categories.

The winners were declared during a press conference in Riyadh on Monday night by Dr. Abdullah Al-Othaimeen, secretary-general of the prize, in the presence of Makkah Governor Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, chairman of the prize committee. A special panel, chaired by Crown Prince Sultan, selected King Abdullah on Saturday for the King Faisal Prize for Service to Islam.

Prince Khaled expressed his tremendous happiness over King Abdullah’s winning of the prize this year. “We hope that Saudi Arabia will continue to make big contributions realizing the hopes and aspirations of its great leader King Faisal, who had said that after 2000 the Kingdom will become a source of light for humanity,” the prince told reporters.

King Abdullah was selected for the prize in recognition of his outstanding services to Islam and Muslims, both within the Kingdom and abroad. His domestic accomplishments included the establishment of mega economic cities and King Abdullah University for Science and Technology and the formation of Human Rights Commission and National Dialogue Center.

King Abdullah’s accomplishments overseas included his firm support for Arab and Muslim causes, persistent efforts to resolve differences among Arabs and Muslims countries, generous support to Arabs, Muslims and other communities at the times of need and his efforts to achieve peace and promote cultural dialogue.