Ammon News - Deputizing for His Majesty King Abdullah II, Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh Monday led a Ministry of Culture ceremony at the Royal Cultural Center to distribute the state awards for 2020.

Culture Minister Basem Twaisi said in opening remarks that the awarding ceremony, which this year coincides with the Kingdom's centennial celebrations, is in faith of the state to "its sons and daughters who maximized giving and contributed to rooting awareness and spreading knowledge."

The ministry, he said, had been presenting the award to Jordanian scientists, writers, artists, intellectuals and creative people since 1977 as "a lasting record in the march of the Jordanian state."

"In these days one hundred years ago, Jordanians and the early Hashemite fathers charted the first and noblest social contract in contemporary Arab history, based on political and moral clarity, and history gave it this continuity and existence," he told the gathering.

Despite the circumstances imposed by the coronavirus pandemic this year, the state award's sustainability and continuity reflects the government's resolve to fulfill the pledge to the generations of outstanding and creative people, he said.

Twaisi said his ministry had carried a new national cultural vision to increase the role of national culture, arts and heritage in positive change and enhance the modernization movement in Jordanian society during the second centennial.

During the ceremony, which was attended by a number of ministers, the Prime Minister handed out certificates to award winners.

The literature/novel award was shared by writers Hashim Gharaibeh and Suleiman Qawab'a, whose works represent two schools of fiction that had their mark on the Jordanian and Arab cultural scene.

The arts/acting prize went to artists Mousa Hijazin and Abdul Karim Qawasmi for "their outstanding contribution and qualitative addition to the drama work and making a qualitative impact on the artistic scene at the Jordanian and Arab levels."

The award for applied sciences in the field of epidemiological diseases was granted to the Prince Hamzah Government Hospital, in recognition of its efforts in countering the coronavirus since the outbreak of the pandemic through its services and a professional health cadre.

The social and human sciences/archaeology prize was awarded to three scientists; Muawiya Yousef, Zaidoun Muhaisin and Suleiman Farajat for their published scientific contribution, management of field projects and institutional and capacity building.