An-Najah University hosted the Palestine International Award for Excellence and Creativity in a grand ceremony that was organized at the Prinze Turki Bin Abdul Aziz Theater at the New Campus. Notable attendees included Dr. Hussein Al-A’araj, Head of the Palestinian Presidential Secretary in Ramallah, His Excellency Dr. Salam Fayyad, Palestinian Prime Minister, Mr. Sabeeh Al-Masri, Chair of the Board of Trustees at An-Najah, Ammar Al-Aker, Secretary-General of the Award, Prof. Rami Hamdallah, President of An-Najah, Mrs. Ana Attireh, Deputy Governor of Nablus, the Turkish Consul General in Jerusalem, in addition to members of the Board of Trustees, Ministers and Officials, as well as diplomats, consuls, and representatives of a number of local sponsor companies and institutions.

The idea of this Award is based on presenting a special reward to three categories of candidates which include: The Institutional Excellence in Performance Category, the Exceptional Experience Category, and the Exceptional Individual with a Special Need Category. The Award aims to promote excellence and creativity and offer good role models for the future generation of Palestine. It has become an annual event to honor creative and dedicated individuals in recognition of the important achievements they have achieved in various fields of life.

Mr. Al-Masri delivered a speech in which he said that since its launch in 2007 the Palestine International Award has become a platform for enriching the creativity of the Palestinians and encouraging them to bring their talents and ideas to the light.

He also congratulated all those who won the Award this year and wished them a prosperous future and a successful life.

Dr. Fayyad said that the Award indicates the private sector’s concern with playing a major role in all fields of life and supporting distinguished individuals. He also offered his sincere condolences to the Turkish Government and people over the recent earthquake that struck the country and left many people dead or homeless.

Furthermore, Dr. Fayyad thanked Mr. Al-Masri for his initiative and his interest in supporting creativity and excellence in Palestine through this Award which gives the Palestinians a chance to bring their talent to the light.

At the end of the ceremony, winners were honored including the Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, for his distinguished and major contributions and lead on the regional and international levels through his brave and stances in support of justice and human rights. The Award was received by the Turkish Consul General in Jerusalem on behalf of Prime Minister Erdoğan.

Other winners included Dr. Alan Kerr, Cardiac Surgeon from New Zealand, who has saved the lives of more than 600 Palestinian children from the West Bank and Gaza since the year 2000. Dr. Kerr has also been instrumental in building the first and only pediatric cardiac surgery program to serve Palestinian children locally.

In the Exceptional Individual with a Special Need Category two individuals with disability, Khamees Zaqout from Gaza and Muhannad Al-Shafi’I from Ramallah won the first place, while Nadirah Mushtaha from Gaza won the second place.

In the Exceptional Experience Category the Economical Empowerment Program for Deprived Families which was able to reach and help more than 6600 Palestinian families won the first place, while the second place went to the Royal Industrial Trading Company in Hebron which specializes in manufacturing high quality sanitary ware.

In the Institutional Excellence in Performance Category the Family Recovery Association won the first place while Alnayzak for Extracurricular Education and Scientific Innovation won the second place.