RIYADH: The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Philanthropic Foundation (MiSK) announced a new initiative on Tuesday that will reward ideas that “positively transform” the world.
MiSK Grand Challenges is backed by grants totaling $10 million from the two foundations, and invites innovators from around the world to tackle some of the biggest problems facing humanity today.
Over the next three years, a series of MiSK Grand Challenges will be announced addressing education and global citizenship.
In a press statement, MiSK Secretary-General Bader Al-Asaker said: “Tackling global issues demands global partnerships. This collaboration with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is an important and essential initiative for the Misk Foundation. MiSK Grand Challenges will directly empower young people by providing them with the research grants necessary to give them the chance to innovate new solutions. A positive future can be shaped by the next generation and MiSK Grand Challenges will act as a vital catalyst in this process.”
Microsoft founder Bill Gates said: “Through the work of our foundation, I have seen the incredible power of innovation to transform the lives of the world’s poorest and most marginalized people. MiSK Grand Challenges will incentivize more of the brightest minds around the world to find the best ideas to solve some of the toughest development challenges.”
The first two Grand Challenges were also announced at the forum. The first education challenge calls for proposals to transform teaching and school leadership, while the global citizenship challenge focuses on engaging young people to address one or more of the UN’s Global Goals for Sustainable Development.
A competitive selection process will be open to applicants from around the world and will result in 100 entrants receiving US$100,000 in seed funding to prove their concepts. The most impactful projects will have the opportunity to apply for further funding to implement the ideas across priority locations.
Gates Foundation and MiSK launch new initiative to reward positive ideas
Gates Foundation and MiSK launch new initiative to reward positive ideas
Saudi defense minister receives Mukalla port director, thanks him for heroic role
- Prince Khalid thanked Basamir for his heroic and humanitarian role in ensuring safety and protecting lives and property at the port
RIYADH: Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman received the director of the Port of Mukalla Salem Basamir on Tuesday.
In a post on social media platform X, Prince Khalid thanked Basamir for his heroic and humanitarian role in ensuring safety and protecting lives and property at the port.
The Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen carried out a limited airstrike in December targeting foreign military support at the Port of Mukalla in the Hadramaut governorate, where calm has been restored after a period of tension.
In a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency following the strikes, coalition spokesman Major General Turki Al-Maliki said two ships coming from the port of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates entered the Port of Mukalla without obtaining official permits from the Joint Forces Command of the Coalition.
“The crews of the two ships disabled their tracking systems and unloaded a large quantity of weapons and combat vehicles to support the Southern Transitional Council forces in the eastern governorates of Yemen (Hadramaut and Al-Mahra) with the aim of fueling the conflict. This is a clear violation of the truce and the pursuit of a peaceful solution, as well as a violation of UN Security Council Resolution No. 2216,” said the spokesman.
