UAE | Heritage and Culture
Booker Prize equivalent created for Arabic fiction
The International Prize for Arabic Fiction was announced yesterday with the support of the Emirates Foundation, UAE's philanthropic organisation, in association with the UK's Booker Prize Foundation.
Abu Dhabi: The International Prize for Arabic Fiction was announced yesterday with the support of the Emirates Foundation, UAE's philanthropic organisation, in association with the UK's Booker Prize Foundation.
The annual prize, set to be awarded in 2008 for the first time, is only designed for prose fiction, and will award $60,000 (about Dh220,344) to the winner, and $10,000 (about Dh36,724) to each of the five runners-up.
Dr Peter Clark, representative of the Booker Prize Foundation, said that the prize is also designed to encourage translation and publication of Arabic language literature into other major languages.
Omar Saif Ghobash, Deputy CEO of the Emirates Foundation, said that this new award is important for the Arab world.
"It marks our commitment to celebrating the richness, diversity and importance of the Arabic language and culture, and introducing both a global audience," he explained.
The prize is managed by an independent board of 16 trustees that represent an international mix of writers, experts in Arabic literature and translation, publishing, media and figures in academia.
Ghobash said that appointed judges will represent a mix of ages and genders, and will be drawn primarily from the Arab world.
An announcement is expected to be made at the end of this month to discuss nomination procedures and submission dates for the International Prize of Arabic Fiction.
Share this article
Related Articles
More from UAE Heritage & Culture
More from UAE
Popular in UAE

-
Your pictures
Readers' pictures
A Selection of the best Gulf News reader pictures this week
Latest news
- Arabian Horse Foundation honours Swayze
- Emirati students to be chosen for German internship
- Residency section clears 6,000 cases
- Residents opt for other gifts as gold soars
- UAE residents spend hours trying to cross into Oman
- Traditional theme at Etihad celebrations
- Dubai in for breezy conditions
- The true meaning of festival of sacrifice
- Maguindanao massacre victims remembered
- Rulers exchange Eid greetings
- The last strand could count in time
- Mohammad endorses Watani campaign
- Residents in celebratory mood during Eid
- Public urged to ensure food safety
- Plan to make you reach for the book
Community Reports
-
School buses must do safe drop-offs
Some bus drivers let students off at the wrong side of the road
-
Munching on a health hazard
Residents must be careful about consuming snacks and sandwiches prepared along the roadside as they attract dirt and bacteria
-
Faded signage fails to guide visitors
Reader seeks better upkeep of signboards in green areas
-
Noise pollution must be regulated
Residents are finding it difficult to sleep well at night owing to ongoing construction work


