Abu Dhabi: Organised by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), the 19th edition of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award (SZBA) has received over 4,000 submissions from 75 countries, including 20 Arab states and 55 other nations. This year’s submissions notably include five countries participating for the first time: Albania, Bolivia, Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago, and Mali, highlighting the growing global influence and impact of the award across various cultural and creative fields.
According to Emirates News Agency, Egypt led all participating countries in terms of the total number of submissions, followed by Iraq, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Jordan, Syria, Tunisia, Lebanon, and the UAE. Among non-Arab countries, the United States topped the list, followed by the United Kingdom, France, Spain, India, Germany, Italy, and Canada. The SZBA announced that its Reading Panel, responsible for reviewing and assessing all entries for their alignment with the award’s values and objectives, completed its review proces
s and closed the nomination period in early October 2024. The longlists for nominated works are set to be announced by the end of 2024.
The Reading Panel, chaired by Dr. Ali bin Tamim, SZBA Secretary-General and ALC Chairman, includes Saeed Hamdan Al Tunaiji, Executive Director of the ALC and member of the SZBA Scientific Committee; Prof. Dr. Bilal Orfali, Professor and Sheikh Zayed Chair of Arabic and Islamic Studies at the American University of Beirut; and Prof. Dr. Mohammad Al Safrani, Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities at Taibah University in Medina, Saudi Arabia. Abdulrahman Al Naqbi, Director of the ALC’s Literary Awards Department, also attended the meetings.
“The Sheikh Zayed Book Award continues to experience sustainable growth in quality and calibre of applications submitted, as well as in the number of participating countries,” stated Dr. bin Tamim. He emphasized the award’s role as one of the world’s most prestigious accolades celebrating cultural creators, thinkers, and young publisher
s. The award aims to honour contributions in various fields, including development, authorship, and translation in the humanities, inspired by the wisdom and vision of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
The award’s diverse categories continue to resonate widely, with the Young Author category leading in popularity, attracting 1,034 submissions and comprising 26 percent of the total entries. The Literature category followed closely with 1,001 submissions, representing 25 percent, while Children’s Literature received 439 entries, or 11 percent of the total. These figures highlight the award’s role in fostering emerging voices and championing literary and cultural expression across generations.
The remaining categories include Literary and Art Criticism, Contribution to the Development of Nations, Translation, Arab Culture in Other Languages, Editing of Arabic Manuscripts, Publishing and Technologies, and Cultural Personality of the Year. The award embodies the legacy of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nah
yan, reflecting his pioneering role in fostering development and nation-building. It also underscores Abu Dhabi’s position as a cultural hub, promoting the Arabic language and advancing the global publishing sector.
The Sheikh Zayed Book Award aims to support the cultural sector, bridge various civilisations, foster an appreciation of knowledge, and reward the efforts of researchers and authors. The annual award, based on scientific and objective criteria, is presented to cultural leaders, thinkers, creative minds, publishers, and youth for their contributions in development, writing, and translation in the humanities, enriching cultural, literary, and social life.
