Al Owais cultural award winners honoured at glittering ceremony
Fatima gets honour for cultural and scientific achievement
Dubai: Winners of the 11th edition of the Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais cultural award were honoured by the Al Owais Foundation on Thursday.
Her Highness Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, Chairperson of the UAE General Women's Union, was honoured with the cultural and scientific achievement award.
Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister, was present.
The poetry prize went to Yemeni poet Abdul Aziz Al Maqaleh, while the short story, novel and drama prize was given to Algerian writer Al Taher Wattar. The literary and critique prize was given to Tunisian critic Abdul Salam Al Masdi, and the humanitarian and futuristic studies category prize went to Egypt's Jalal Ameen.
Film
The award ceremony started with the unveiling of portraits of the winners painted by Arab and foreign artists.
The paintings will be added to the permanent exhibition of the award winners, which includes portraits of all earlier winners.
A film on Shaikha Fatima's achievements was shown as part of her honouring with the foundation's cultural and scientific achievement award.
Dubbed the ‘Mother of the UAE', Shaikha Fatima joined an elite group of winners who have left their imprint on Arab society, including poets Mohammad Mahdi Al Jawaheri, Nizar Qabbani, Mahmoud Darwish and Adonis, as well as intellectuals Edward Saeed, Yousuf Al Qaradawi, Juma Al Majid, and many others.
Shaikha Fatima earlier donated the amount of the prize to the Network for Arab Women in the Diaspora, one of her numerous initiatives for Arab women.
Dr Anwar Mohammad Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the foundation's board of trustees, delivered the board's speech on the occasion.
Dr Jalal Ameen, winner of the humanitarian and futuristic studies award, spoke on behalf on the winners, while the judging panel's report was read by Dr Abdul Aziz Al Sabeel, member of the panel, and Dr Fatima Al Sayegh, member of the foundation's board of trustees, read the board's statement.
Following the award ceremony, the audience was enchanted by a musical performance by the Arabic Takht Music (Arab orchestra) led by Dr Yasser Muawwad.
A panel of judges unanimously selected the winners last December from among 1,183 applicants for their distinguished works and rich contribution towards enriching Arab culture.
A total of $120,000 (Dh440,400) is awarded to winners in each category.
Winners
- Cultural and Scientific Achievement Award: Her Highness Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak
- Poetry: Abdul Aziz Al Maqaleh, YemenShort Story, Novel and Drama: Al Taher Wattar, AlgeriaLiterary Studies and Critique: Abdul Salam Al Masdi, TunisiaHumanitarian and Futuristic Studies: Jalal Ameen, Egypt
- The late poet Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais established a permanent award bearing his name on December 17, 1987, with the aim of honouring, encouraging and supporting Arab scholars, litterateurs and intellectuals.
- The award is granted once every two years to a number of Arab intellectuals for their outstanding production in the poetry, short story, novel, drama, literary studies, criticism and human and futuristic studies.
- This production must reflect Arab intellect and the ambitions of the Arab nation as well as be effective in the cultural, literary and scientific life of the nation.
- It is an independent and unbiased award that is given based on creational merit with no consideration for the political or ideological stands of candidates or their colour, religion and gender.
- The total value of the award is $600,000 divided among the award's five categories. Each winner receives $120,000 (Dh440,400) and if there is more than one winner in any category, the amount of the prize is split among them.
