Biography of His Royal Highness Prince Talal Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud
H.R.H. Prince Talal Bin Abdul Aziz was born in 1935 in Taif (Saudi Arabia) where time and place have had a profound influence shaping his personality. He has grown up with a real love of philanthropy and a firm belief in the importance of solidarity with poor and needy people. Classified as atypical and reformist, H.R.H. Prince Talal is one of the rare advocates of women's rights and democracy.
The core philosophy of H.R.H. Prince Talal in his humanitarian work is based on his strong conviction that human development, and protecting the dignity of the disadvantaged citizens of the world, can only be achieved by investing in human beings. This philosophy is supportive of the continuous efforts exerted by the international development community to encounter the severe challenges facing millions of people in the world.
In the early fifties H.R.H. Prince Talal started sponsoring a scholarship for a large number of Saudi youths to study in foreign universities and also founded several schools for vocational training. He also undertook various initiatives to improve the public health situation in Saudi Arabia. He founded a hospital, as well as the Saudi Society for Education and Rehabilitation for the welfare of children suffering from the Down syndrome.
The most well-known initiative of H.R.H. Prince Talal is the establishment of the Arab Gulf Programme for United Nations Development Organizations (AGFUND) to support efforts that promote sustainable human development. Through AGFUND and in cooperation with other regional and international partners, H.R.H. Prince Talal founded six regional institutions, the major goal behind this initiative being to ensure cooperation, coordination and partnership between the various effective players in development fields. Governments, private sector, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, media and specialized researchers are all joining efforts, through these regional institutions, to alleviate the suffering of the poor and to assist them in becoming active citizens, able to participate in leading the Arab societies towards a better future.
