Sultan bin Salman Al Saud

Early life and education

Sultan was born in Riyadh on 27 June 1956. He is the second son of King Salman. His older brother Fahad was born 20 July 1955 and died in 2000. His mother is Sultana bint Turki Al Sudairi who died in July 2011. She was a daughter of King Salman's uncle, Turki bin Ahmad Al Sudairi, who was one of the former governors of al-Jouf, Jizan and Asir Province and was a participant in the unification campaign under His cousin, the founder of the Kingdom Abdulaziz ibn Saud. and Prince Sultan is a full brother of Fahd, Ahmed, Abdulaziz, Faisal and Hussa (born 1974).

Sultan completed his elementary and secondary education in Riyadh. He received a master's degree in social and political science with distinction from Syracuse University in 1999.

Early experience

Sultan bin Salman started his career in 1982 as a researcher in the department of international communications at the Ministry of Information in Saudi Arabia. His tenure lasted until 1984. He served as deputy director of the Saudi media committee for the Saudi athletes participating in the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Later that year, the department of TV advertising was created at the Ministry of Information, and he was appointed its acting director.

From 17 June through 24 June 1985, he flew as a payload specialist on STS-51-G Discovery. As one of a seven-member international crew, which also included American and French astronauts, he represented the Arab Satellite Communications Organization (ARABSAT) in deploying their satellite, ARABSAT-1B. Sultan also holds the record for being the youngest person to fly on the Space Shuttle, at the age of 28.

Later, he assisted in establishing the Association of Space Explorers, an international organization comprising all astronauts and cosmonauts who have been in space, and served on its executive board of directors for several years.

In 1985, Sultan recorded a commercial message that was broadcast on MTV during the Live Aid concert event. His message mentioned his recent trip on the Space Shuttle and was one of 33 such by notable individuals including Caesar Chavez, Coretta Scott King, Carl Sagan, Jesse Jackson and Peter Ueberroth. Sultan bin Salman served in the Royal Saudi Air Force beginning in 1985 and held the rank of lieutenant colonel. He retired from the air force in 1996 with the rank of colonel.

Positions

Since 2009 Sultan bin Salman has served as the President and Chairman of the Board with the rank of a Minister of the Saudi Commission for Tourism & National Heritage (SCTH). He had served as the Commission's Secretary General since its inception in 2000. It is claimed that as Secretary-General, he contributed significantly to the improvement of Saudi Arabia's tourism strategy, and organizational building in the Saudi government.

Membership

Sultan bin Salman also holds the following titles:

Views

Regarding the connections between the state and the people, he argued that "Every citizen of this country is a responsible person. Here the state is the citizen and the citizen is the state. There is no division between the leadership and the citizens." He believes in building partnerships in all that is accomplished and have always advocated the importance of the role of local communities.

Personal life

Sultan bin Salman is married to the daughter of Saud bin Faisal, the ex-minister of foreign affairs of Saudi Arabia. They have three children. His son, Salman (born 1990), attended St. Andrew's University in Scotland and Oxford University and married a daughter of Prince Khalid bin Saud Al Saud, a great-grandson of Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman, the brother of King Abdulaziz in Riyadh on 5 December 2012. His Daughter (born 1994) also attended St Andrews University.

He enjoys flying, gliding and skiing in his spare time.

Sultan owns a farm in Diriyah which is a model of modern facilities in a historical setting. His farm reflects his attempt to retrace the origins of the Al Saud family, and to document the Al Saud's claims over the Najd.

Awards

Sultan received the following awards/recognition:

UNWTO Award in recognition of His significant contribution to the development of tourism in the Middle East and His outstanding commitment to the global vision and work of the World Tourism Organization. Presented at the 22nd Session of the UNWTO General Assembly held in Chengdu, China on 12 September 2017

Arabic Leadership Award in the Care of Disabled presented by the Arab Hospital Federation on December 2015

Creativity Award presented by the Souq Okaz Higher Committee on January 2015

Harvard University named Sultan bin Salman as the Chief Representative of the Arabian Region and the Middle East in Tourism Leaders program on October 2014

Middle East Municipalities Award in Cultural & Heritage Preservation presented by the Institute of Middle East Excellence Awards on 16 October 2014

King Leopold Medal was awarded to Sultan on 26 January 2014 by the order of King Philip of Belgium in recognition for contribution in strengthening relations between Saudi Arabia and Belgium, especially in the field of archaeology.

Leadership Award presented by the Arab Hotel Investment Conference (AHIC) on 4 May 2014.

CEO KSA Award for Tourism & Hospitality presented by the Arabian Budiness Magazine on 2012.

Chancellor’s Medal by Syracuse University (SU) on 16 November 2012 for his key role in helping to launch a collaborative partnership between SU and Princess Nora bint Abdul Rahman University.