Mukhtar Alam, calligrapher at the factory that makes the Kiswa for the Kaaba, was recently granted Saudi citizenship.
The move came after the government decided to bestow the honor on a number of foreign nationals with specialist skills.
Alam is also a supervisor to the Charitable Association for the Memorization of the Holy Qur’an in Makkah, an Arabic calligraphy counselor at the Hands Craft Association in Jeddah, a founder of Jeddah’s Arabic Calligraphy Society, and a member of the Saudi Scientific Society for Arabic Calligraphy.
He was formerly deputy head of the panel committee for an Arabic calligraphy contest organized by Dar Al-Arqam Schools in Jeddah between 2001 and 2014, and a member of arbitration committees for similar competitions run nationally and in Makkah from 2008 to 2014.
Between 1995 and 1999, he taught calligraphy at Umm Al-Qura University’s department of art education.
In addition, he has received numerous local and international awards, including one for Persian calligraphy at the second International Arabic Calligraphy Competition, held in Turkey in 1989. He holds two licenses in the Holy Qur’an which he received in 2002 and 2011 from Sheikh Fouad Mustafa, a student of Sheikh Ibrahim Al-Akhdar, former imam of the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah.
In 1980, Alam joined the Charitable Association for the Memorization of the Holy Qur’an in Makkah working there as a Qur’an teacher for 13 years, and for three years he taught at Dar Al-Arqam Institute in the Grand Mosque in Makkah, which is affiliated to the Qur’an memorization organization.
Alam gained a master’s degree in art education (calligraphy) in 2001 from Umm Al-Qura University in Makkah and a bachelor’s degree in art education in 1992 from the same institution.
Who’s Who: Mukhtar Alam, Saudi calligrapher
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Who’s Who: Mukhtar Alam, Saudi calligrapher
KSrelief launches platform for NGOs to receive accreditation for international work
RIYADH: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center on Monday launched a new digital system for enabling and accrediting non-profit organizations at the organization’s headquarters in Riyadh.
The new service enables Saudi NGOs to obtain a preliminary approval certificate to carry out humanitarian relief projects and volunteer programs outside the Kingdom.
Adviser at the royal court and supervisor-general of KSrelief, Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, inaugurated the platform.
KSrelief is “a firmly rooted institution that has made humanity a comprehensive and enduring mission,” he said.
The organization has achieved significant impact in more than 100 countries through more than 4,000 relief and humanitarian projects, exceeding $8.2 billion (SR30.8 billion) in assistance.
“Behind these numbers are human stories, lives saved in critical moments, families who found safe shelter, and communities that regained the tools needed to rise again.”
Today, a new chapter begins as national NGOs are invited to join the platform which, in its foundational phase, has succeeded in assessing, preparing and licensing more than 50 local NGOs in accordance with the highest standards of international governance, Al-Rabeeah said.
“These organizations have already proven their effectiveness in the most vulnerable communities by implementing 229 humanitarian and relief projects and programs, and by carrying out more than 50,000 surgical operations in more than 20 countries, with expenditures exceeding SR115 million.”
Another aspect of KSrelief’s efforts is its “robust” system of volunteer work, “reflecting the readiness and commitment of Saudi national cadres to serve humanity,” Al-Rabeeah added.
More than 1,200 volunteer projects have been implemented in dozens of countries with a total value exceeding $147 million.
Al-Rabeeah extended his thanks and appreciation for such work that reinforces the image of the Saudi citizen as a proactive ambassador of peace, sincerity and selflessness.
