Sheikh Salem Al-Ali Informatics Prize launched

The 11th Sheikh Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah Informatics Prize kicked off for 2011 and entries and volunteers are to be received as of Sunday. Member of the organizing committee Saleh Al-Asousi told reporters the field of informatics receives great care and attention by both His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and by the sponsor of the prize, National Guard Chief Sheikh Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah, and both the prize and the sector in general are seeing constant development as a result of this encouragement. Those wishing to volunteer may register through the prize website, he added. The main objective is to upgrade technical aspects of internet content and contributions with competition among individuals and both state and private bodies from Kuwait and the Arab World. The winners are awarded in an annual event held under the sponsorship and attendance of His Highness the Amir. This year, there are to be two ceremonies; one to honor volunteers who helped to organize and hold the even over the last 10 years and another to honor media figures who cooperated with the prize over that period. In addition to the entries under the different categories, the prize announces a number of projects each year aiming to help further sustainable social development through contributions in this field. The first 2011 project (shift il Kuwait) this year focuses on content for smart phones in addition to other modern media, as this would help reach more segments of society across the Arab World. The second is a digital index aiming to gather and provide access to information on different social sectors, following a corporate index launched in 2008 and a specialists index in 2009. Those wishing to do so may add date on their own qualifications, activities, and other information. The third project is an annual informatics forum to focus on the issues of the hour, while the fourth project deals with informatics awareness and involves seminars and lectures. The fifth project is an informatics gateway that aims to detect informatics activity, development, and trends on a national, regional, and international level.