Sharjah: Mohammed Ibrahim Al Qasir, Director of the Cultural Affairs Department at the Sharjah Department of Culture and Secretary-General of the Sharjah Award for Arab Creativity (first edition), announced the winners of the 29th edition of the award, which is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al-Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and organised by the Cultural Affairs Department. The 18 winners represent various Arab countries and were recognised across the award's six literary fields: poetry, novel, short story, playwriting, children's literature, and literary criticism.
According to Emirates News Agency, Mohammed Al Qasir stated, 'With each new edition, the Sharjah Award for Arab Creativity reaffirms its creative essence in seeking out every emerging talent taking their first steps in the world of Arabic literature. It embodies the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al-Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, who laid the foundations for this pioneering award, which targets young creators. It is an exceptional cultural vision centred on discovering the first literary works of writers from across the Arab world, thus giving the award a distinct cultural identity and character, serving as a celebratory space and an incubator for creative individuals in six vital and diverse literary fields.'
Al Qasir further explained that the prize has contributed to fostering a rich creative environment, enriching the Arabic literary landscape with numerous publications in poetry, novels, short stories, criticism, and plays. The current cycle attracted over 500 literary works from Arab countries and submissions from foreign countries by Arabic-speaking writers, highlighting the prize's significance and commitment to discovering new talents.
The session received a diverse range of submissions, with 164 from Egypt, 84 from Syria, 52 from Iraq, and 49 from Algeria, among others. Submissions also came from non-Arab countries including Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Canada, underscoring the award's international appeal.
The submissions were distributed across various literary fields, with 118 entries for poetry, 153 for short stories, 130 for novels, 79 for plays, 45 for children's literature, and 25 for literary criticism. The cycle focused on poetry collections for children aged 8-11 and studied experimentation in contemporary short stories.
Mohammed Al-Qasir announced the winners, highlighting achievements across categories. Notable winners include Ahmed Salama Selim Abed (Egypt) for poetry, Ahmed Adel Mohammed Nasser Al-Salmi (Yemen) for short stories, and Mai Al-Mawlidi Al-Arabi Dhou (Tunisia) for novels. Winners in other categories included Zubaida Hassan Raja (Syria) for theatre, Hussein Ni'ma Hussein (Iraq) for children's literature, and Ahmed Muhammad Morsi Abdullah (Egypt) for literary criticism.
