The UNESCO-Al Fozan International Prize

The UNESCO-Al Fozan International Prize is an award aimed at scientific fields, presented by UNESCO in collaboration with Al Fozan Holding Company. Its goal is to support research and scientific achievements in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics through international cooperation, launched in October 2021. The prize contributes to the development of the global economy, encourages the emerging generation of young scientists, and promotes gender equality in scientific fields.

The candidate applying for the UNESCO-Al Fozan International Prize must be under the age of forty to enter the competition. Participation is limited to specific scientific fields, namely: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

The judging committee for the UNESCO-Al Fozan International Prize consists of five judges who are specialists in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. They are selected based on specific criteria, including gender equality, fair geographic distribution, and diversity in scientific fields.

The UNESCO-Al Fozan International Prize is awarded every two years to five winners from UNESCO's five geographic regions: Arab States, Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Europe and North America, and Latin America and the Caribbean. The total prize amount is USD250,000, equally distributed among the winners, with each winner receiving USD50,000, a diploma certificate, and a medal.

On June 20, 2023, the award ceremony for the first edition of the UNESCO-Al Fozan International Prize was held in Paris. The prize was awarded to five winners from UNESCO's five regions, who presented exceptional ideas and outstanding work that opened new horizons. The winners were: Dr. Jelena Vladić from Serbia, Dr. Hesham Omran from Egypt, Prof. Qiaomei Fu from China, Prof. Abdon Atangana from Cameroon, and Dr. Federico Ariel from Argentina.