King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, handed awards to the winners of this year's King Faisal International Prize at a glittering ceremony here Tuesday. In his speech, Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Chairman of the Prize Committee, said that it was a moment of honor for scholarly research conducted by leading figures who have served humanity. The prizes have come in a “golden era” from “a great nation, exceptional King, benevolent Crown Prince, and a moderate Kingdom of Humanity,” Prince Khaled said. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, winner of the King Faisal International Prize for Service to Islam, was given the award for his role in advancing economic, social and cultural reforms in Turkey and for building links between the Islamic World and the West. Erdogan said that the nations of the region share the common message of Islam, which is peace. “Wherever we are, we always call for peace, human values, and human rights,” he said. “Throughout the centuries, we have cherished the concept of humanity, creating a civilization of love. And today, our historical responsibility moves us to present our civilization again as a civilization of love and peace to the entire world,” he added. The prize for Islamic Studies was withheld this year because none of the entries qualified for the award. Each winner received SR750,000 in cash, a certificate outlining their work and a commemorative 22-carat gold medallion. Other winners included Algerian Professor Abderrahman El-Houari Hadj-Saleh and Lebanese Professor Ramzi Mounir Balabakki, who shared the Arabic Language and Literature Award (Studies Dealing with Arabic Grammatical Thought.) Professor Hadj-Saleh received the award in recognition of his insightful analysis of Al-Khalil's linguistic theory, its relation to contemporary grammatical thought, and its place among other grammatical concepts. He was also commended for his contribution to the advancement of Arabic linguistics and the Arabization movement. El-Houari Hadj-Saleh said he was proud to be the first in his country Algeria to win the prize and join a galaxy of men of letters. The prize would motivate scholars in developing nations to carry out more research in science and technology, he said. Professor Balabakki was recognized for his research on Arabic grammatical thought. His publications, in Arabic and English, have contributed to Arabic grammar education in Western institutions and familiarized Western researchers with the fundamental manuscript of Si-Bawaihi, a revered ancient scholar and founder of Arabic grammar. Balabakki said there was a recent revolution in Arabic studies and heritage research, thanking the Prize Committee for encouraging researchers to serve a noble cause for the humanity in different disciplines. The Science Award (Mathematics) was jointly given to American Professor Enrico Bombieri of IBM von Neumann Professor Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton University, and Australian Professor Terence Chi-Shen Tao of James and Carol Collins Chair of Mathematics, University of California, Los Angeles. Professor Bombieri was praised for his contribution to various branches of mathematics. His work was in number theory, algebraic geometry, complex analysis, and minimal surfaces. Professor Bombieri said the message of the Prize was clear: Knowledge knows no boundaries. He praised the achievements of Islamic civilization. Professor Tao was given the award for his work in a number of branches of mathematics including harmonic analysis, partial differential equations, combinatorics, number theory, and signal processing. Professor Tao said the Arab civilization contributed to classic knowledge in mathematics during the Dark Ages in Europe. Modern mathematics was built on accumulated knowledge from previous civilizations, he said. The Medicine Award (Non-Arthroplasty Management of Degenerative Joint Disease) was jointly awarded to German Professor from University of Bern, and Canadian Professors Jean-Pierre Pelletier, head of Osteoarthritis, Montreal University, and Johanne Martel Pelletier, Joint Director of the Osteoarthritis Research Unit, Montreal University. Prof. Ganz dedicated his career to the study and treatment of diseases of the hip joint. He has carried out anatomical research that contributed to the understanding of the blood supply to the acetabulum and femoral head. These achievements have led to his recognition as a leading authority on conservative hip surgery. Professor Ganz said that all candidates for the Prize were fundamental and leading researchers in their own disciplines, believing the Prize would motivate more researchers to come forward with more service to humanity. Professors Jean Pelletier and Johanne Pelletier contributed to translational research in the field of osteroarthritis. Their work led to major discoveries in the pathophysiology of osteoarthritis, particularly joint catabolism and repair. These studies have paved the way for the identification of therapeutic targets. Professor Jean Pelletier, in a speech on behalf of Johanne Pelletier, said they were honored to be awarded the prize and commemorate late King Faisal. __
