The Minister of Culture and Information Dr. Adel bin Zaid Altoraifi patronized the ceremony of the Book of the Year Award in its 8th session at King Fahd Cultural Center here yesterday evening. Addressing the ceremony, Dr. Altoraifi expressed his thanks and appreciation to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud for his continuing and great support for cultural institutions to serve their national objectives and motivate them for further production and excellence. He said, ' The wise nation and generous homeland celebrate creative people, achievements and initiatives, as we are accustomed by our cultural institutions. As for the celebration of the book, it comes among the priorities in this area, as the book is the portal of knowledge, the track of science, the outcome of the expertise and the accumulation of experiences. ' The Minister of Culture and Information expressed his pleasure over the Award being implemented by the Literary Club in Riyadh since its inception at the club before years, noting that the club has gained the confidence of literary and cultural circles after sponsoring various sessions of this award, which has been won by a number of scientists, professors and researchers from around our homeland, adding that your colleagues in the Ministry of Culture and Information support all cultural and information institutions and their efforts in service of the book, author and knowledge; and we emphasize that it is one of the priorities of Ministry's work. ' Dr. Altoraifi congratulated the two winners on their two distinguished books, expressing his thanks for the sponsor financing this award since its inception and for the club for its effort in patronizing this award, looking forward to further work, achievement and creativity in all cultural and literary clubs in our generous homeland, stressing that the homeland is still patronizing the celebration and honoring of prominent individuals, institutions, ideas and initiatives in various fields. Then, the Club's Chairman of Board of Directors and General Supervisor of the Award, Dr. Abdullah Al-Haideri delivered a speech in which he explained that this award is a model of successful partnership between government cultural institutions represented in the club and Riyad Bank as one of the banking sectors in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He further said that the measurement of success is the continuation and growth of this Award year after year, and is now in its 8th year, and in the interest of authors and intellectuals of it as well as by announcement of it, in the interaction of universities and publishing houses with its goals and the nomination of books that are compatible with its terms. After that, the Chief Executive Officer's Deputy and General Supervisor of Riyad Bank's Community Service Programs, Dr. Mohammed Al-Rabiah delivered a speech in which he stressed that the Bank's support of this Award as well as its adoption of Excellence Women's Award in partnership with Al-Qassim Literary Club emanates from Riyad Bank's belief that science is the main engine of the desired sustainable comprehensive development. At the end of the ceremony, the Minister of Culture and Information Dr. Adel bin Zaid Altoraifi honored the Award's winners, Dr. Abdullah Al-Munif and Dr. Hind Al-Mutairi.
