Regional author celebrated for role in Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative

The Rolex Arts Initiative pairs established masters with young, undiscovered artists for a year of collaboration in the fields of dance, film, literature, music, theatre and visual arts. The Arts Initiative is the only corporate philanthropic programme of its kind and recently gathered its third group of mentors and protégés in New York City.

Ben Jelloun, 62, spent the past year mentoring novelist Edem Awumey, 32, from Togo as part of the programme. A winner of the Prix Goncourt and the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, Ben Jelloun draws upon his experiences in his native Morocco and as an immigrant in France to create powerful and controversial novels, poems, plays, essays and articles.

Describing his work with Edem, Ben Jelloun said, "What interests me is not to be a corrector or to be a teacher, but to be someone who accompanies a writer as he writes."

Rolex CEO Patrick Heiniger said the company launched its mentoring programme in 2002 to fill a void in arts patronage. "Our philanthropic activities reflect the values of our company which, for 100 years, has been dedicated to excellence. The highest standards of craftsmanship, a commitment to perfection and great attention to detail are all principles that we cherish. The benefits of this initiative will ripple out into protégés' work and into the artistic community at large with the passage of time."

In the first cycle of the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative in 2002-2003, Jordanian architect and painter Sahel Al-Hiyari was selected as the Visual Arts Protégé. His mentor was Álvaro Siza, one of Portugal's most celebrated architects. Al-Hiyari's practice in Amman has grown into a firm of six architects and his work continues to flourish. One of his most recent projects is the design of a visitor information centre in Jordan's National Park in Petra, which will be completed in the coming months.

Rolex's philanthropic activities in the Gulf, the Levant and North Africa also include the Rolex Awards for Enterprise, which support individuals working to improve human knowledge and well-being. This 31-year-old programme will hold its 2008 global awards ceremony in Dubai under the patronage of HRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, wife of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

The Rolex Awards for Enterprise aim to foster a spirit of enterprise by recognising outstanding efforts in five broad areas: science and medicine, technology and innovation, exploration and discovery, the environment, and cultural heritage. Presented every two years, the awards provide financial assistance to people embarking on innovative, new ventures or pursuing ongoing projects.