Saudi prince donations for Syrian institutions highlighted

Saudi Arabia's Prince al-Walid Bin Talal has provided Syrian educational and cultural institutions and charity societies with donations estimated at US $15,600,000.

The donations covered most Syrian provinces, especially the universities of Damascus, Aleppo, Tishreen, and al-Baath, the intermediate institutes and charity societies, the martyrs children schools, and Tlass house for publications and others owned by Syrian Defense minister Mustafa Tlass.

Moreover, the Saudi Prince held various investments in Syria, especially in the tourism sector as he, on January 12, 1998 signed with the Syrian government a contract to build the first "Four Seasons" hotel in Syria at a cost of US $100 million.

The Saudi prince, however, offered donations to charity societies in several Arab Middle East countries, especially Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine and Egypt.