National Heritage Award

The National Heritage Award is an annual Saudi National cultural award, and was first kicked off on April 2021. It is awarded to individuals and establishments which protected, preserved, and identified the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It was launched as part of the National Cultural Awards initiative sponsored by the Ministry of Culture.

The National Heritage Award aims to preserve the heritage, pass it on to the Kingdom's future generations, and increase community awareness on the national heritage, in addition to improving the quality of heritage outputs regardless of their classification, be it historical, archaeological, craftsmanship, industrial, or architectural.

The award targets Saudi individuals, including academics, researchers and those who are interested in national heritage, as well as Saudi institutions, such as museums, libraries, cultural groups, heritage preservation entities, cultural centers, art galleries, and educational institutions.

Nomination for the award can be done through the electronic platform directly by the candidates themselves (for both individuals and groups). On the other hand, the nomination can be placed by another party if they believe that a candidate deserves to win or to be nominated, or by specialized committees at the Ministry of Culture.

To be eligible for nomination, the candidate must be no less than 21 years of age, have a Saudi nationality or be a child of a Saudi woman, provided that the nomination information is correct and complete. Moreover, the nominated work must have been implemented within the past three years, and the candidate must have total ownership of all the public and intellectual rights for the submitted content, or at least a partial ownership that enables the candidate to apply with the approval of the other parties. The candidate should submit the necessary documents to prove their partners' consent to the nomination. A minimum of ten years of serving in the field of national heritage is required, with proven sustainability and continuity, in addition to showcasing an interest in the national heritage as an academic or researcher.

Winner of the National Heritage Award in its first edition: First Place: Abdulaziz Abdullah Al-Dakhil. Second Place: Hisham Ali Mortada. Third Place: Torathuna Social Responsibility Company. Ahmed Al-Nughaither won the National Heritage Award in its second edition.