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HRH Prince Alwaleed bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Alsaud, Chairman of Kingdom Holding Company received at his office in Riyadh, Mr. Jim Scarth, British Council Director in Saudi Arabia who was accompanied by Mr. Ahmad Menyawi, Media and PR Manager and Ms. Mariam Daher, Regional Project Manager from the British Council.

The meeting was also attended by Ms. Nahla Alanbar Personal Assistant to HRH the Chairman.

The meeting began as Mr. Scarth thanked Prince Alwaleed for giving him the opportunity to meet with him. During the meeting the Director explained that since the establishment of the British Council in 1967, its main objective is to build beneficial relationships between the two kingdoms, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom.

Furthermore, Mr. Scarth talked about the Council’s programs including the Leadership and Development program for women. The program is aimed at empowering the vibrant group of Saudi women who will contribute substantially to the Saudi economy and influence the younger generation.

The two also discussed a number of local, regional and international economic and social issues. In addition, HRH touched upon the role of Alwaleed bin Talal Foundation (ABTF) and its encouragement of building the gap between East and West through its programs and donations to various universities.

In May 2008, HRH made a £16 million endowment to create two new research centres for Islamic studies at the University of Cambridge and the University of Edinburgh (£8 million for each university).

The new centers will carry out both research and public engagement designed to enhance understanding between the Muslim world and the West. In 2002, the Prince made a £1 million endowment to the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies at the University of Exeter.

His Highness had received the Prince of Wales at Kingdom Resort in Riyadh in 2006 and the Duke of York in 2007.

Prince Alwaleed has a number of investments in the United Kingdom through Kingdom Holding Company including the Savoy hotel and Canary Warf.

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