RIYADH —Saudi Arabia marked August 2026 with a string of international achievements, securing medals, awards, certifications and global recognition across sustainability, government, healthcare, education, sports and technology. **media[2759605]** International RecognitionSaudi Arabia was ranked among the top 10 countries globally in private investment in artificial intelligence, according to the World Bank. The Kingdom also received the Best Host Country award for the first time in the history of the Formula E championship, as well as the UN World Restoration Flagships award for land restoration from the UN Environment Program and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. It also renewed its presidency of an executive council for the 2026–2028 term by consensus of member states and received 106 awards at the 2026 Stevie Awards for the Middle East and North Africa. The Kingdom also received official recognition for its self-declared freedom from dourine, an equine disease. Government and Quality of LifeThe Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development was recognized as having the best project management office in the Middle East in 2026 by the Project Management Institute. Meanwhile, Riyadh joined the Global Quality of Life Index, while AlUla joined the Global Quality of Life Initiative under the UN Human Settlements Program. The General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information also received an award for exemplary systems in the geospatial field. Healthcare and Medical InstitutionsSaudi healthcare institutions also recorded several international achievements. Medical Services of the Ministry of Interior became a member of the International Hospital Federation. King Salman Medical City received accreditation for its main hospital laboratory from the College of American Pathologists (CAP), while King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre – Jeddah received joint accreditation for multidisciplinary continuing education. **media[2759603]** Aviation, Tourism and IndustrySaudi Arabia's aviation sector also received international recognition. The Second Airports Cluster received Level 3 customer experience accreditation for 18 airports from Airports Council International, while King Abdulaziz International Airport received LEED Gold certification for Terminal 1 from the U.S. Green Building Council. Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) received an R&D World 100 research and development award. Red Sea International also received global certification for its Desert Rock and Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve resorts from the International Dark-Sky organization. CompetitionsSaudi sports teams recorded several international successes. The Saudi national athletics team won one gold medal and one bronze medal at the 2026 World Masters Athletics Championships. The Saudi national artificial intelligence team won one silver and two bronze medals at the 2026 International AI Olympiad in Kazakhstan. The Saudi national informatics team also won a silver medal, a bronze medal and a certificate of appreciation at the 2026 International Informatics Olympiad. The Saudi national standards team won a platinum medal, a silver medal and a bronze medal at the International Standards Olympiad in Korea. In esports, Saudi team Falcons won the Rocket League title at the 2026 Esports World Cup. **media[2759604]** Individual AchievementsSaudi individuals also achieved international success across several fields. Abdul Latif Al-Sheikh received an award for Quranic service and promoting the values of tolerance and coexistence in 2026 from an Islamic organization in Spain. At the Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships in Tashkent, Mohammed Al-Ajjan won two gold medals and a silver medal, while breaking two world records and two Asian records. Jana Al-Sabil won a gold medal and the Best Student award at the 2026 International Junior Science Olympiad, while Abdulaziz Al-Shurait won a silver medal at the 2026 International Physics Olympiad and Saleh Al-Harbi won a bronze medal at the 2026 International Chemistry Olympiad. Fahad Al-Faraj was appointed a member of the Asian Wrestling Federation Council, representing Western Asia. Dr. Mohammed Al-Sail was appointed co-chair of the UN Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management. Together, the achievements span a wide range of fields, from international investment and sustainability to healthcare, aviation, education, sports and geospatial information, highlighting the breadth of Saudi institutions' and individuals' participation in international competitions, organizations and recognition programs.