His Royal Highness Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Riyadh Region, patronized yesterday evening the closing ceremony of the National Olympiad for Scientific Creativity (Creativity Exhibition for Science and Engineering – Creativity 2026), organized by the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity “Mawhiba” in strategic partnership with the Ministry of Education. This important annual event culminates a year of research and innovation and aims to provide a competitive environment that encourages male and female students to engage in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
High-level official attendance
The ceremony, held at the Princess Nouf bint Abdulaziz International Conference Center, was attended by a distinguished group of dignitaries. Upon his arrival, the Governor of Riyadh was received by His Royal Highness Prince Mutaib bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, His Royal Highness Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Defense, and His Excellency Yousef bin Abdullah Al-Bunyan, Minister of Education. Also present were Dr. Abdulaziz bin Fahd Al-Anqari, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Mawhiba Foundation, and Dr. Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al-Kridis, Secretary General of the Foundation, reflecting the great importance the Kingdom places on the talent and creativity sector.
Supporting leadership and empowering youth
In his address during the ceremony, Prince Faisal bin Bandar extended his warmest congratulations to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and to His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Prime Minister, praising the scientific achievements of the nation's sons and daughters, which have raised the Kingdom's profile on the international stage. His Highness emphasized that these achievements are the fruit of the wise leadership's unwavering support for the education sector and the Crown Prince's continuous commitment to nurturing and empowering talented individuals to become future leaders and agents of change. He said, "Thank you, Your Highness, for your care for your sons and daughters, the students, enabling them to reach these heights. This is the true spirit of the Saudi people and their well-known perseverance.".
Record-breaking numbers and global competition
The 16th edition of the Olympiad was distinguished by its wide and unprecedented participation, with more than 357,000 male and female students from across the Kingdom registering for the preliminary competitions. Of these, 200 projects qualified for the final stage at the “Ibdaa 2026” exhibition. The projects covered 22 specialized scientific fields and underwent rigorous judging according to international scientific standards. At the conclusion of the ceremony, the names of 68 winners of the grand prizes were announced. These winners will represent the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in upcoming international competitions, most notably the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF 2026), which is considered the largest and most important science competition for general education students worldwide.
The importance of the event in the context of Vision 2030
The National Olympiad for Scientific Creativity holds significant strategic importance as a key pillar in achieving the goals of the Kingdom's Vision 2030, which focuses on building a vibrant society and a thriving economy based on knowledge and innovation. These competitions hone students' scientific research skills, foster a culture of innovation, and develop a Saudi human capital capable of competing globally in research and development, thereby strengthening the Kingdom's position as a regional and international hub for science and technology.
