Sheikh Zayed Book Award in Abu Dhabi releases multiple translations of its winning titles

Abu Dhabi: Sheikh Zayed Book Award has released translations of four winning titles in its ‘Literature’ and ‘Children’s Literature’ categories.

The works were published in English, French, German and Ukrainian, in collaboration with four international publishing houses and in conjunction with the United Nation’s World Arabic Language Day, which falls on 18 December each year. This initiative forms part of its efforts to enhance the presence of Arabic literature at a global level.

Award-winning books translated in the Children’s Literature category include the 2019 novel I Dream of Being a Concrete Mixer by Kuwaiti author, Hussain al-Mutawaa. This was translated into English and French in collaboration with Canadian publisher BookLand Press, and into German with Sujet Verlag UG. Also included was the 2017 novel Hatless by Kuwaiti writer Lateefa Buti, which was translated into French in collaboration with Canadian publisher, BookLand Press.

Award-winning titles

Within the Literature category, the award-winning titles include the 2017 novel The Autumn of Innocence by Lebanese writer, Abbas Beydoun, which was translated into Ukrainian in collaboration with Anetta Antonenko Publishers. Also included was the 2015 novel The Madmen of Bethlehem by Palestinian author Osama Alaysa, which was translated into French by Belleville éditions, following its translation into Ukrainian during 2019 by Anetta Antonenko Publishers.

Dr. Ali bin Tamim, Secretary General of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, said: “Translation is an essential tool for building bridges between different nations around the world, as it plays an integral part in representing cultures, literature and heritage in different languages. Through the translation fund, we want to offer readers around the world a window through which they can explore the best Arabic literary works in their own languages.”