Dr. Awadh Al Badi, Director of the Dept. of Research and Studies at the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies (KFCRIS) in Saudi Arabia, will visit Korea from July 12 to 17, 2009 by invitation of the Korea Foundation.

He also works as a political scientist in Saudi Arabia and has a great interest in promoting cooperation between Korea and KFCRIS. Thus, during his stay in Korea, he will visit the Institute of Middle East Studies, Myongji University; the Korea-Arab Society; and the Korean Center for Arab and Islamic Culture, to discuss ways to advance cooperation between Korea and Saudi Arabia. He will also have a chance to experience diverse aspects of Korea by visiting Mt. Odu Unification Observatory, Gyeongju and Changdeokgung Palace.

The King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies was established in 1983 to preserve
and promote the many aspects of Islamic culture. Under the Center’s jurisdiction there are four libraries, a manuscript preservation laboratory, an in-house printing press, and the King Faisal Gallery. The Center also sponsors a number of lectures and symposia and hosts exhibitions highlighting Islamic heritage. Two of the Center’s long-term research projects include a 16-volume book of proverbs spanning the history of Arabic and Islamic literature and an Arabic encyclopedia with more than 10,000 entries