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Prince Mohammed bin Salman Prize for Saudi-Chinese Cultural Cooperation Opens Nominations for Inaugural Edition

Dr. Abdul Mohsen Al-Aqili, the award's secretary-general, has invited academic and cultural institutions in both countries to participate actively in the nominations
Dr. Abdul Mohsen Al-Aqili, the award's secretary-general, has invited academic and cultural institutions in both countries to participate actively in the nominations
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Prince Mohammed bin Salman Prize for Saudi-Chinese Cultural Cooperation Opens Nominations for Inaugural Edition

Dr. Abdul Mohsen Al-Aqili, the award's secretary-general, has invited academic and cultural institutions in both countries to participate actively in the nominations
Dr. Abdul Mohsen Al-Aqili, the award's secretary-general, has invited academic and cultural institutions in both countries to participate actively in the nominations

The General Secretariat of the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Prize for Cultural Cooperation between Saudi Arabia and China has announced the opening nominations for its first edition.
The nominations are open until the end of February 2025 through the award's official website at (www.pmsa.org.sa).
Dr. Abdul Mohsen Al-Aqili, the award's secretary-general, has invited academic and cultural institutions in both countries to participate actively in the nominations.
Al-Aqili noted that the award accepts nominations in four categories: research and studies in cultural areas, artistic and creative works, translation between Arabic and Chinese, and cultural personality from both countries. Nominations are welcomed from academic and cultural institutions as well as individuals, with the exception of the cultural personalities category.
Applicants are required to adhere to specific criteria, including holding Saudi or Chinese nationality and ensuring that the nominated work is in either Arabic or Chinese. Furthermore, candidates must align with the award's core aim of fostering cultural communication, particularly between Arab and Chinese cultures.
Detailed scientific and technical conditions tailored for each category are available on the award's official website.
"The award champions values of cultural openness and communication among populations, governed by objectivity, integrity, transparency, and intellectual property rights,” Al-Aqili said.
In addition to recognizing outstanding works annually, the award is committed to creating opportunities and initiatives that support its objectives. Particular emphasis is placed on engaging youth in Saudi Arabia and China, harnessing their technical and artistic potential to strengthen cultural ties between the two nations.
The incentive award has been established to empower young talent across three categories: young researcher, young creator, and young translator. The award adheres to the general award guidelines, including a maximum age limit of 35 years for candidates in these categories.
Nominations for the incentive award in these branches are now available through the official website for this edition.

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Greek Potter Keeps Ancient Ways Alive, Wins UNESCO Recognition

A drone view of ready handmade pieces in Kouvdis’ family pottery workshop in Agios Stefanos village, near Mandamados on the Greek island of Lesbos, Greece, September 23, 2024. (Reuters)
A drone view of ready handmade pieces in Kouvdis’ family pottery workshop in Agios Stefanos village, near Mandamados on the Greek island of Lesbos, Greece, September 23, 2024. (Reuters)
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Greek Potter Keeps Ancient Ways Alive, Wins UNESCO Recognition

A drone view of ready handmade pieces in Kouvdis’ family pottery workshop in Agios Stefanos village, near Mandamados on the Greek island of Lesbos, Greece, September 23, 2024. (Reuters)
A drone view of ready handmade pieces in Kouvdis’ family pottery workshop in Agios Stefanos village, near Mandamados on the Greek island of Lesbos, Greece, September 23, 2024. (Reuters)

In his seaside workshop on the Greek island of Lesbos, Nikos Kouvdis uses ancient techniques to create pottery pieces that have recently been honored with inclusion in UNESCO's National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Kouvdis, 70, and his family have kept an old technique alive near the once humming pottery hub of Mandamados, just as the slow and careful methods of the past have been largely eclipsed by factory machines.

Their pottery is among the last in the Mediterranean to be produced from clay in local soil, using a traditional kiln with olive pits as fuel, with the pieces painted with natural lime.

"It's an honor for me," Kouvdis said with regard to the UNESCO recognition of his work.

He said a mechanized press can work at 10 times the speed of an individual potter. "There’s no continuity. There’s no space for (our) method to continue."

Still, he continues to produce individual pots on an outcrop of land overlooking the Aegean Sea.

"Above all, it’s a passion - trying to create something that fulfils you," he said.