Souk Okaz Prizes announced

Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, emir of Makkah and adviser to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, announced here on Tuesday the winners of the 9th edition of the annual Souk Okaz Prizes for the year 2015. 

Prince Khaled, who is also chairman of the Souk Okaz Supervisory Committee, said that Huzair Mahmoud has won this year’s Souk Okaz Poet prize. He was chosen from among 26 poets from within the Kingdom and other Arab countries. 

The winner will get the title of Okaz Poet in addition to the Okaz Shield for the year 1436H and a prize money amounting to SR 300,000, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The winner also gets an invitation to attend Souk Okaz and recite his poem at the inaugural ceremony.

Hassan Tawashi has been chosen as the Okaz Young Poet. He will get the title of Okaz Young Poet, Okaz Shield and a prize money amounting to SR 100,000, in addition to an invitation to attend Souk Okaz and recite his poem at the inaugural function.

Minister of Culture and Information Adel Al-Turaifi announced the names of the winners in the category of painting. 

Nasser Al-Dubaihi bagged the first prize from among 110 contestants from within the Kingdom and abroad. He will get a prize money worth SR50,000.

 Ziyad Abdullah and Hassan Al-Otaibi are the first prize winners in Arabic calligraphy and photography respectively. Each will get a cash award of SR50,000.