NEW YORK, Dec 15: A prominent Saudi businessman announced this week a donation of $20 million each to Georgetown and Harvard universities for the study of Islam.
Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, a member of the Saudi royal family, told Chicago Tribune in an interview from Riyadh that he had also donated $15 million to establish the Middle East’s first centers for American studies at universities in Beirut and Cairo.
“As you know, since the 9/11 events, the image of Islam has been tarnished in the West,” said Prince Alwaleed, who is chairman of the Riyadh-based Kingdom Holding Co and has extensive business holdings in Europe and the United States.
