Manama: Saudi businessman and philanthropist Mohammad Abdul Latif Jameel will receive an honorary knighthood from the UK for his philanthropic activities and support for the development of arts and culture in the country, the British embassy in Riyadh has said.
“The Queen has graciously approved an honorary knighthood in the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for Mohammad Abdul Latif Jameel,” the embassy said in a statement.
“Mr Jameel is a businessman and noted philanthropist who has supported job creation and poverty alleviation initiatives in the Middle East and globally. He is chairman of Abdul Latif Jameel Community Initiatives (ALJCI), which supports numerous programmes to address unemployment issues, enables research for poverty alleviation, and provides education and training opportunities across the Arab world,” it said.
Jameel is also well recognised for his support for the development of arts and culture.
“Most notably, Mr Jameel has played a significant part in a project to restore the Islamic Gallery housed in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. ALJCI also founded the Jameel Prize in partnership with the Victoria and Albert Museum. Awarded every two years, the Jameel Prize is an international art prize awarded to up-and-coming artists and designers inspired by Islamic traditions of art, craft and design,” the embassy said.
Jameel has also worked with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to establish the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) and the Abdul Latif Jameel World Water and Food Security Lab (J-WAFS). The overarching goal of both organisations is to utilise scientific methodology and inform government policy in order to improve lives worldwide.
‘Deeply humbled’
“Mohammad Abdul Latif Jameel’s association with the UK began many years ago,” Sir John Jenkins, the British Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, said as he congratulated him on the award.
“His business successes are well documented, as are his philanthropic activities. This award is in recognition of his contributions to strengthen the role of the arts and culture in society and his work with the UK’s Victoria and Albert Museum is one example of his strong contribution in this area. I congratulate Mr Jameel on this well-deserved honour.”
Jameel said that he was “deeply humbled that Her Majesty The Queen would see fit to bestow this honour upon me.”
“This award is a great honour for my family and me, and also reflects the hard work and support of the hundreds of ALJCI team members who run the numerous programmes that help make such a difference,” he said. “I would also like to thank the many partners that we work with across the globe, including MIT, and particularly the Victoria and Albert Museum for their support in preserving and promoting Islamic arts and culture.”
Honorary knighthoods are awarded by the Queen, on the advice of the foreign secretary, to those who have made an important contribution to British interests.
