Fahd al-Samari

Fahd Abdullah al-Samari (born in 1958) has been an advisor for the Royal Court since 2015 with the rank of minister and the Secretary General of the King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives (Darah) since 2007. He previously served as an advisor at the Court of the Crown Prince and as Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Higher Education for Cultural Relations. He was awarded the Order of King Abdulaziz of the First Class, the Order of Knighthood of the Italian Republic in 2015, and Grand Officer of the Star of Italian Solidarity from the Embassy of the Italian Republic in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2008.

The secretary general of the King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives (Darah)

Fahd al-Samari, born in Riyadh in 1958, obtained a bachelor's degree in history from Imam Mohammad Bin Saud Islamic University in 1980. He pursued a master’s degree in modern history and international relations at the University of California, 'Riverside,' USA, in 1986. In 1989, he completed his doctorate from the same university.

Fahd al-Samari assumes several responsibilities, including: Secretary General of the Secretariat General of the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) Documents and Studies Centers, General Supervisor to the National Center for Archives and Records, member of the Board of Directors of the Diriyah Gate ‍Development Authority, the Heritage and Culture Committee's Chairman of the Executive Committee, member of the Board of Directors of the Heritage Commission at the Ministry of Culture and Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Council, Editor-in-Chief of the Darah Magazine, member of the Board of Trustees of the National Museum, member of the Advisory Committee for the development of the History Department at King Saud University, member of the Board of Directors of the Riyadh Downtown Development Company, member of the Board of Trustees of King Abdulaziz Library, member of the Supreme Advisory Board of the King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Chair for Studies of the History of Makkah al-Mukarramah at Umm al-Qura University, Member of the Board of Directors of the King Salman Center for Studies of the History and Civilization of the Arabian Peninsula, and Chairman of the Committee for the National Heritage Award at the Ministry of Culture.

Al-Samari was a member of the Board of Directors of the Camel Club, the General Supervisor of the King Abdulaziz Camel Festival in its first and second editions, and an Assistant Secretary General of the General Secretariat to celebrate the centennial anniversary of the Kingdom, and a member of its Preparatory Committee. He also served as a member of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage's Board of Directors, a member of the Saudi Heritage Preservation Society's Board of Directors, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Saudi Research and Publishing Company, and a vice president of al-Madinah al-Munawwarah Research and Studies Center Board of Endowment.

Fahd al-Samari wrote several historical works, including famous publications on kings' libraries; he wrote a book titled 'King Abdulaziz Al Saud Private Library' in 1996. Then he wrote 'King Saud Bin Abdulaziz Private Library' in 2006, 'King Faisal Private Library' in 2008, and 'King Khalid Private Library' in 2010.

Al-Samari wrote other historical publications, such as: 'King Abdulaziz and Germany (a Historical Study of Saudi-German Relations)' in 1999 and 'Friends and Memories (American Impressions and Memories of Life and Work in the Kingdom)' in 1998. In 2004, he published an encyclopedia titled 'Diplomatic History of King Abdulaziz' and 'Thoughts for the Homeland.' Furthermore, he wrote the 'Royal Visit' and 'The Bibliography of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the Reign of King Abdulaziz' in 1998.