Riyadh- Promoting security efforts spent on rooting out extremist ideology, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia launched a cartoon competition offered to counter extremism.

The Interior Ministry of Saudi Arabia officially kicked off the cartoon contest headlined “Cartoons Against Extremism.”

The ministry will be organizing the event together with the Society of Cartoonists and Animators of Saudi Arabia, ministry’s spokesman Mohammed Maroul said on Sunday.

Following the end of the competition, a touring exhibition of all participating artworks is due to take place in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam.

Maroul announced that winners at the contest will be divided into three ranks, first place winning a $15,000 SAR-prize and a certificate of appreciation and a corresponding medal, second place winning a $10,000 SAR-prize and a certificate of appreciation and a corresponding medal, while third place winning a $5,000 SAR-prize with a certificate of appreciation and a corresponding medal.

Moreover, the top 30 distinguished artworks will be published in prints of largely renowned local newspapers.

Maroul invited all amateurs and professionals to participate in the competition.

Moreover, the contest falls in line with the ministry’s known active line of work bolstering social communication, interaction and solidarity.

“Both professional cartoonists and those for whom cartoons are a hobby from all parts of the country are eligible to take part in this national contest to send a message on extremist ideology’s danger,” Maroul told the Saudi Press Agency.