Media Centre

In recognition of the multiple roles Saudi women balance in their contribution to society, King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC), in cooperation with Dar Al-Hekma University, today announced the launch of the Raiah Award honoring Saudi women.

The Raiah Award, the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia, recognizes women with substantial achievements across different fields including family, community service, innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship. The award is to be presented annually at a ceremony at KAEC.

Signing the agreement of cooperation were Mr. Fahd Al-Rasheed, Managing Director and GCEO of King Abdullah Economic City, and Dr. Suhair Al-Qurash, President and Chief Executive Officer of Dar Al-Hekma University.

“This initiative aims to highlight the role Saudi women play not only in the academic and business worlds but also in society and family life,” said Mr. Fahd Al-Rasheed. “The Raiah award is part of KAEC’s social responsibility strategy that aims to enable the sustainable development of qualified and talented human resources and especially encouraging creativity and offering a wide range of opportunities for Saudi women.”

Dar Al-Hekma University plays a leading role in contributing to the advancement of women in Saudi society, which it enhances through its participation in social responsibility initiatives that benefit Saudi women and the community in general.

“We at Dar Al-Hekma University are delighted to partner with KAEC in this initiative, which appreciates and honors the role of women in society and recognizes their achievements at all levels,” said Dr. Suhair Al-Qurash.

Women eligible for the prize are nominated by relatives or friends, and must be of Saudi nationality, over 18 years of age, and demonstrate clear achievements in the fields suggested by the award’s management. The achievements will be examined in several phases of interviews prior to the final selection process, and the list of final candidates invited to the award ceremony will be announced one month in advance.

About King Abdullah Economic City

King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) is the largest privately-funded new city in the world. Situated on the west coast of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, KAEC covers an area of 181 million square meters of land, approximately the size of Washington DC. KAEC comprises King Abdullah Port, the Coastal Communities residential districts, the Haramain Railway district and the Industrial Valley. The city is under development by Emaar, The Economic City, a publicly listed Saudi joint-stock company established in 2006.