Abu Dhabi: The Shaikh Zayed Book Award announced four winners in its ninth edition on Monday.
The Literature Award went to Osama Alaysa from Palestine for his novel, Majaneen bait lahem (The fools of Bethlehem), while Hanawa Haruo from Japan was named winner of the Translation Award for his work on Naguib Mahfouz’s Cairo Trilogy (Palace Walk, Palace of Desire and Sugar Street) translated into Japanese.
The Arab Culture in Other Languages Award went to Sugita Hideaki, also from Japan, for his book, Arabian-Naito to Nihon-Jin (The Arabian Nights and the Japanese), while Arab Scientific Publishers Inc from Lebanon won the Publishing and Technology Award.
Dr Ali Bin Tamim, Secretary-General of the Shaikh Zayed Book Award, congratulated the winners in all categories for their achievements, stressing that their work deserved special recognition, as the Shaikh Zayed Book Award strives to live up to its name as it honours the memory of Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and its mission is to celebrate outstanding writers, intellectuals, publishers as well as young talent whose writings and translations have enriched Arab cultural, literary and social life.
Bin Tamim explained that the winners’ selection came after extensive discussions by the Awards’ Board of Trustees and the Scientific Committee of the results submitted by the judging panels across the Award’s nine categories. The judges independently evaluated submitted works from over 31 countries in this year’s session for the selection of the winning titles.
He also expressed his gratitude to members of the Board of Trustees, Scientific Committee, the judging panels and reading panels for their efforts and dedication. He also thanked universities and cultural entities for their nominations, and acknowledged the hard work put in by the nominees this year.
The Board of Trustees announced withholding four awards this year for Literary and Art Criticism, Young Author, Contribution to the Development of Nations and Children’s Literature as nominations in these categories did not meet the Award’s standards.
The Shaikh Zayed Book Award’s first edition was in 2007, and was intended to promote scholarship and creativity in Arab culture. It carries cash prizes totaling Dh7 million, with Dh750,000 per winner in all eight categories, and Dh1 million for the winner of the Cultural Personality of the Year. The winners also receive a certificate of merit and a Gold Medal.
The awards presentation ceremony will take place in Abu Dhabi in May during the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair.
