‘Moderation award’ entry open to Saudis, foreign residents
Center accepts entries in English, French and German languages
Dr. Hassan bin Yahya Al-Manakhra, president of Prince Khaled Al-Faisal’s Center for Moderation, confirmed that foreign residents in the Kingdom can participate in the center’s award, with entries accepted in languages including English, French and German.
The Center for Moderation sets out to prove to the world that Islam is a religion for MADINAH: Artisan families earning income with their handicraft skills are now capable of competing with external competitors, according to the Productive Families Forum held recently.
The forum, attended by representatives of the Bareh Program of the Tourism and National Heritage Authority, Madinah branch, and several of its partners, was held in the King Fahd Central Garden.
During the forum, 6,000 visitors were registered. Also participating were 100 productive families, which are helped by the forum’s initiatives and programs in the region.
The general-secretary of the Tourism and National Heritage Authority, Madinah branch, Khaled bin Hussein Al-Shehrani, said the National Program for the Development of Crafts and Handicrafts (Bareh) is getting support from the tourism authority and its partners.
Traditional industries are a vital national heritage that plays an important role in raising the living standards of productive families, providing jobs, diversifying local all times and places, as it preaches moderation and rejects terrorism, tyranny and despotism.
Al-Manakhra stressed the fact that the award aims to produce real outputs to instill the concept of moderation among youths, and to represent moderate thinking in the Kingdom.
Al-Manakhra was speaking on Sunday during an introductory meeting held at the Tourism College at King Abdulaziz University.
He said the center struck agreements with the Education Ministry so that school radio will broadcast briefings on the concept of moderation, and the best three presentations on the subject will receive tributes from Prince Khalid Al-Faisal during the coming hijri month of Muharram. economic development and helping the commercial and tourist movement in the region, said Al-Shehrani.
He added that 363 skilled craftsmen are listed in the craftsmen registry of the Bareh program, with women forming 92 percent of the craft industry in the Madinah region. This includes carpet-making, crochet, embroidery, fashion heritage, Arabic calligraphy, painting, soap-making, engraving, pottery, and jewelry and accessory making.
Al-Shehrani said that by obtaining the “Artisans Accredited Card,” productive families can practice their skills and market their products, in addition to taking part in festivals, activities, exhibitions and occasions related to the Bareh program.
They could also obtain material support easier, market their products on special marketing days organized by the program and announced in a handicraft guide. They also have priority if they wish to participate in the Okaz Market Award for Skills Distinction, which is the biggest event that supports the national program.
He also noted that King Salman will personally be briefed on all the participations, and a panel of specialist judges will evaluate these.
The award aims to highlight the real stance of the Kingdom concerning moderation, and to support pioneering and creative individuals and group efforts to promote the concept of moderation and its applications.
It aims to encourage positive role models, as well as to root the culture of moderation in all areas at the local level, and increase the level of awareness among the Arab community on the issues of combating extremism in all its forms.
The award will be in the areas of digital and intellectual content, and community partnership. It is split into three categories. The first includes media content, which is divided into two sections. The first section is for short film, with an award prize of SR200,000. The second is digital content, and is divided into animation, with an award of SR100,000; photography with an award of SR50,000; and a digital arts award amounting to SR50,000.
The second category involves knowledge content and is divided into two prizes; the first includes quantitative statistical studies, with an award amounting to SR100,000; and translation with an award amounting to SR150,000.
The third category involves community partnership, and the award is divided into creative individual initiatives with its award amounting to SR100,000, and the creative institutional initiatives with its award amounting to SR150,000.
JEDDAH: An award to recognize those promoting moderation is open to both Saudi citizens and foreign residents of the Kingdom, an official has said.