Chairman, King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies
His Royal Highness (HRH) Prince Turki AlFaisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud is Founder and Trustee of the King Faisal Foundation and Chairman of the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies.
He was born on Rabi Al-Awwal 3, 1364 H/February 15, 1945 in Makkah, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. HRH began his schooling at the Model School in Taif and went on to gain his high school diploma at the Lawrenceville School in New Jersey, the United States of America. HRH then completed his studies at the Georgetown University.
HRH was appointed Advisor at the Royal Court in 1393H/1973. In 1397H/1977, HRH was appointed Director-General of the General Intelligence Directorate (GID), Saudi Arabia’s main foreign intelligence service, with the rank of Minister, and headed the GID until 1422H/2001.
In 1423H/2002, HRH was appointed Saudi Arabian Ambassador to the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. HRH served in the position until 1426H/2005 when he was appointed Saudi Arabian Ambassador to the United States of America. He retired in 1428H/2007.
HRH’s Roles around the World
Visiting Distinguished Professor at the Georgetown University
Honorary Professor at the Tor Vergata University of Rome
Trustee of the Oxford Center for Islamic Studies at the University of Oxford
Trustee of the Center for Contemporary Arab Studies at the Georgetown University
Member of the Board of Trustees of the Library of Alexandria
Member of the Board of the Beirut Institute
Member of the Board of Trustees of the Council of Arab and International Relations
Chairman of the Board of Directors of Al-Quds Fund and Endowment
Member of the Advisory Council of the Munich Security Conference
Member of the Board of Trustees of the Asia Society
HRH is a member of the Advisory board of Think20 (T20), which was tasked by the Saudi G20 leadership to provide policy recommendations.
In addition, HRH has been an active participant to the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting, the Global Economic Symposium, and the Clinton Global Initiative’s Annual Meeting. HRH was a commissioner for the International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament, which was a joint initiative of the Australian and Japanese Governments.
Awards
In 1441H/2019, HRH was awarded Afghanistan’s highest honors, the Ghazi Mir Bacha Khan Medal.
In 1437H/2016, HRH was awarded honorary citizenship of Seoul, South Korea, by H.E. Mr. Park Won-Soon, Mayor of Metropolitan Government of Seoul.
In 1436H/2015, HRH received the Mediterranean Award for Diplomacy from the Fondazione Mediterraneo in Naples, Italy.
Honorary Degrees
In 1438H/2017, HRH received an honorary PhD from L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University of Astana in Kazakhstan.
In 1436H/2015, HRH received an honorary PhD from the University of Shanghai.
In 1432H/2011 HRH received an honorary PhD in International Politics from the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in South Korea.
In 1431H/2010, HRH received an honorary PhD in Law from the University of Ulster in Ireland.