One of the world’s best-kept secrets is perhaps the considerable generosity of HRH Prince Sultan bin Abdel Aziz Al-Saud, Minister of Defense and Aviation for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Over more than 50 years the Prince has quietly worked to make quality healthcare and emergency medical care available to those who would otherwise have no hope of receiving such care. Yet, do to the generosity and sincere affection of the Prince for all people, he has financed much of the care provided by numerous medical centers, which were established by the Prince Sultan bin Abdel Aziz Charity Foundation. The Prince has also donated and made funds available privately, and at times anonymously to families, and individuals in need, making it possible for recipients of assistance to receive treatment and care at hospitals and medical centers throughout the world for various types of treatment and therapy.
The Prince Sultan bin Abdel Aziz Charity Foundation was established in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through Royal Decree No. A/77, declaring the founding of the Foundation, and designating Prince Sultan both President and Chairman of the Board of Trustees. Other Board members include his sons aged 20 and over, and to insure that this legacy of giving continues, his sons will be replaced in their posts by his grandsons, who will similarly be replaced by his future progeny.
Sultan bin Abdul Aziz bin Abdul Rahman bin Faisal bin Turki bin Abdullah bin Saud was born on a Thursday, the 13th of Rajab, 1346 Hijri, which corresponds to the 7th of January 1928. He was born in the Al-Murabba Palace in Riyadh to the founder of the Kingdom, King Abdul Aziz Al-Saud and his wife. The Prince was raised under the careful eye of his father, who guided his education, placing an emphasis first on religious education, and later on the academic subjects, arts and sciences. The Prince was tutored in the Holy Qur’an, Arabic language and arts and sciences by the most noted scholars and sheiks in the Kingdom, in what has come to be affectionately known as “the school of Princes” which was actually only a room in the Palace. The Prince also received extensive tutelage in the history of the Arab people, the genealogy of the various tribes, and the traditions and cultures of the Arabian world. The history of the Arabian people has become the subject of much of the world’s poetry, art and literature.
At the tender age of 15 years old, Prince Sultan began to take on the duties of his station, assuming the title “Chief of the Royal Guard.” At age 19 he became the Governor of Riyadh, while Riyadh was still a small village. In fact it was his vision that became the blueprint for the development of Riyadh into the Kingdom’s capital city, the development of roads, housing developments, and public education. In 1953 he was appointed Minister of Agriculture, from which post he oversaw the Saudi irrigation projects, which were the cause of an historic agricultural boom unprecedented in Saudi history. In 1955 following Prince Sultan’s appointment as Minister of Communications, the Jeddah Coastal Station was established to administer Saudi maritime law, and the Port of Damman was also expanded. Telecommunications reached the Kingdom and its network spread between Arab and non-Arab countries East and West. In 1962 he became the Minister of Defense and Aviation, and in this capacity he laid the groundwork for the Kingdom’s Defense policy and strategy.
Whereas the Prince distinguished himself through his service to his country and countrymen in these honored positions, he has made his greatest contributions to Muslims and non-Muslims, Arabs and non-Arabs through his charitable contributions. Among other of his charitable projects is The Saudi Child Development Center, and the Center for Cranofacial Surgery, and the Prince Abdul Aziz Center for Science and Technology. He is also the primary patron of the International Arabic Encyclopedia Society, which has taken on the tremendous though noble task of chronicling the achievements of the Arab people, their history and contributions in knowledge and literature to the modern world in an Arabic language volume.
