* Crown Prince chairs meeting of Prince Sultan Charitable Foundation board of trustees

* Prince Sultan: I look forward to continuation of such distinguished effort to contribute to providing Foundation's services for persons who need them

* Costs of Foundation's projects all over areas in the kingdom exceeded SR 480 million

* King Saud grants honorary doctorate to Crown Prince in recognition of his permanent support for higher education march

Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and Aviation, Inspector General, and the Supreme Chairman of Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Charitable Foundation chaired at his palace the 14th meeting of the Foundation's Board of Trustees.

The meeting was attended by Prince Khalid bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, the Board's Deputy Chairman, members of the Board, the Foundation's Director General and the Board's Secretary General.

The Crown Prince watched paintings of the Foundation's housing projects in various regions at a cost of more than SR 480 million.

Addressing the meeting, the Crown Prince expressed his pleasure over meeting them in the blessed month of Ramadan, welcoming the joining of Prince Mishaal bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz to the Board's membership.

He said that as it is customary every year, we review today the efforts of this Foundation which contributes along side the efforts of the state in meeting the needs of various categories of citizens and developing their lives within its message "Assistance of People for Assisting Themselves."

The Crown Prince added that the Foundation has continued its march in more than one field concerning the development and service of the local society, service of handicap issues, development of the system of charitable action in the Kingdom, supporting the efforts of societies and charities and the achievements in the field of charitable housing projects.

The Crown Prince said, "I look forward to continuation of this distinguished effort to contribute to providing the Foundation's services for persons who need them and upgrading this performance in commensurate with the Kingdom's position and the care and support provided by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud for the projects of charitable and humanitarian action and the needs of citizens".

On this occasion, he said," I commend the efforts of the board of trustees and the Foundation's all officials and staff and wish them all success".

Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Charity Foundation paid a great attention to the issue of disability in their plans and strategies.

The foundation's performance has been integrated in the areas of science, business and medicine along with its efforts in the development of channels of special education in the care of persons with disabilities.

Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz City for Humanitarian Services continued its superiority and excellence in providing treatment and care and rehabilitation programs. The international body of approving hospitals recognized the Foundation’s effort and awarded it certification this year for its outstanding efforts to treat and rehabilitate persons with disabilities.

With directives of Crown Prince Sultan, the Foundation initiated the establishment of a panel to activate the ministerial directives for the development of services for people with disabilities.

A report issued by the foundation stated that the panel supports and develops special education programs in Saudi colleges and universities. The Panel also exerted a great effort in establishing a plan that aims at upgrading the competence of graduates' of those departments. The plan also aims to develop programs and strategies for these academic departments to be able to play its role in the service of this country.

In coordination with the Ministry of Higher Education there was a program to send hundred students to study various branches of special education in U.S. universities this year, along with dozens of people who benefited from the program of the Educational Foundation in the Arab University in Bahrain as well as its activities in integrating the disabled into society.

Crown Prince Sultan received at his palace Qatar's Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Hamada bin Jassem bin Jabr Al Thani and his accompanying delegation.

During the audience, Sheikh Hamad expressed his condolences to the Crown Prince on the death of Princess Luluwah bint Abdulaziz.

The Crown Prince thanked Sheikh Hamad for his sincere brotherly feelings.

The audience was attended by Prince Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, and a number of princes.

Crown Prince Sultan had arrived in Makkah from Jeddah to spend the last ten days of the blessed month of Ramadan in the vicinity of the Holy Mosque. He was welcomed by Prince Khalid al-Faisal, the Governor of Makkah region, other princes and officials.

Prince Sultan was accompanied by Prince Faisal bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, the Secretary General of Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud Charitable Foundation, and a number of other princes.

Meanwhile, King Saud University has awarded an honorary doctorate to Crown Prince Sultan in recognition of his generous support and sponsorship of the path of higher education in general and King Saud University in particular. This was announced by the Minister of Higher Education Dr. Khalid Bin Mohammed Al-Angari.

Al-Angari expressed his gratitude and appreciation of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud for the unlimited support for developing the performance of higher education and building its future to serve the nation and citizens and for his leadership of the march of higher education supported by the Crown Prince whose directives have great effect on the achievement of the present qualitative leap in the march of higher education in the Kingdom.

Al-Angari thanked the Crown Prince for his acceptance of the honorary doctorate, expressing his deep appreciation and gratitude to the Crown Prince for his generous support and sponsorship of the path of higher education in general and the University of King Saud, in particular. The Crown Prince's support and finance include Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz World Program for Distinguished Research Scholarships; establishment of Prince Sultan Center for Advanced Technologies, Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Research Center for Environment, Water and Desert, and Prince Sultan Award for Water Research to stimulate research and development in various areas of water as well as funding a range of Research chairs in the areas of water, environment and wildlife and contemporary Islamic studies in addition to financing Saudi Economic Society and other associations and scientific events organized by the University.

Dr. Al-Angari congratulated King Saud University for this honor which demonstrates the University's status.