RIYADH: Princess Seetah bint Abdulaziz Award honored 30 pioneers for their excellence in social work for 2026 during a ceremony in Riyadh on Sunday evening. Held under the patronage of Ahmed Al-Rajhi, minister of human resources and social development, and the chairman of the board of trustees of the award, the ceremony for the 13th edition celebrated sustainable social innovation, responsible citizenship and community service. It was attended by Prince Saud bin Fahd bin Abdullah, vice chairman of the executive committee and member of the board of trustees for the award, and dignitaries, community leaders, and advocates of social and humanitarian work. The ceremony began with a video presentation highlighting the six social awards — Responsible Citizenship, Umm Al-Joud, Tanseek, Tahfeez, Sitatheon and Imtinan — and their role in motivating and recognizing outstanding individuals and organizations in social work, promoting a culture of sustainable social engagement and supporting the national fabric through innovative initiatives. In his speech, Prince Saud congratulated the winners on their contributions and impactful initiatives for society. Social awards represent a message of loyalty and appreciation for all those who have made community service a core principle in their lives, and are a testament to the Kingdom’s special attention to supporting pioneering initiatives that enhance quality of life and reinforce the values ​​of cooperation and solidarity, he said. The awards are the fruit of organized institutional efforts that prioritize clarity of vision and precision of action, and measure the impact of initiatives to ensure their sustainability, thereby reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s leadership in social work, Prince Saud added. Dr. Fahad bin Hamad Al-Moghlouth, secretary-general of the award, said that great nations measure achievements by their impact, not their number. He added that the social awards celebrate a national culture that values giving, sees initiative as a responsibility and considers impact as the standard for excellence. “The initiatives and honorable achievements we witness are the fruit of the generous support provided by our wise leadership for everything that strengthens social work, based on the belief that building human beings is the foundation for building the nation,” he said. Al-Moghlouth also announced the opening of nominations for the 14th edition of the award under the theme “Human Development and Strengthening Social Cohesion and National Loyalty,” as well as nominations for the sixth edition of the Responsible Citizenship Award and the fourth edition of Sitatheon. The ceremony concluded with the honoring of the social award winners. In the Imtinan Award, Ihsan Saleh Tayyib won in the Waqaar category, and Saleh bin Abdullah Al-Sayyid in the Rif’ah category. In the fourth edition of the Tahfeez Award, the Asir Region Development Authority won for its Ajawid initiative. In the fifth edition of the Tanseek Award, Ilm wa Bina National Schools won in the education category, and the Association for Exceptional People Serving Persons with Disabilities won in the charity category. In the seventh edition of the Umm Al-Joud Award, Dr. Hani Talal Al-Juhani was recognized for his work in public and mental health awareness. For the fifth edition of the Responsible Citizenship Award at the high school level, Fahad Al-Dosari from Al-Faisaliah Gifted School won for the “Smart Bracelet for People with Special Needs” initiative, with Salman Al-Ruwaili from Al-Salam Model National School placing second for “Social-steps” and Durrar Khaled from Al-Andalus Educational School third for an “Innovation in Biomedical Engineering.” At the intermediate level, Dan Al-Waqadani from Smart Learning National School topped the winners with the “Step of Hope” initiative, followed by Toulin Al-Anzi from Qur’an Memorization Intermediate School in Arar for the “Rushd” initiative and Ward Al-Shamardal from Riyadh Al-Saliheen National Schools for “Graphic Design Skills.” At the primary level, first place went to Hams Al-Saleem from Ru’ya Al-Mustaqbal National Schools for the “Smart Lip Reader” initiative, second to Raneem Al-Fuwairis from Ru’ya Al-Mustaqbal International School for “Sustainable Color Journey to Protect Our Environment,” and third to Lina Al-Sharif from the 23rd Primary School in Makkah for “Promoting Love of Learning and Innovation.” Winners were also honored in the third edition of the national program to promote community initiatives, Sitatheon, with the University of Hail team taking first place for the “Ghrs Nation” initiative, followed by the King Khalid University team for “The Voice Colors the Place,” and the Taibah University team for the “Inspiration” initiative. Established in 2012 by royal decree, the Princess Seetah bint Abdulaziz Foundation for Excellence in Social Work encourages and supports community upliftment programs.