Sharjah: Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) is welcoming applications for the 2023 edition of the prestigious Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) Awards.
Exceeding a value of Dh2 million, the award is divided into fivemain categories including Sharjah Translation ‘Turjuman’, The Sharjah Award for an Emirati Book; Sharjah Award for the Best Arabic Novel; Sharjah Award for the Best International Book; and The Sharjah Publisher Recognition Award .
In a bid to celebrate and motivate first-time Emirati novelists, SBA, the organiser of the annual award, has announced a new category to highlight their work, perspectives and voices.
There will be nine associated accolades designed to honour the outstanding achievements of writers, intellectuals and publishers, as well as local talents whose writing and translation are offering new qualitative perspectives to the Arab intellectual, cultural, literary and social landscape.
Interested applicants in the UAE, Arab region and from around the world need to submit their entries on the book fair’s official website before August 31.
Winners will be announced during the grand opening ceremony of the 42nd SIBF, which takes place this November in Expo Centre Sharjah.
The 7th annual Sharjah Translation ‘Turjuman’ Award will continue to highlight the achievements of talented translators and publishers who are playing an instrumental role in taking Arabic language works to non-Arab readers worldwide. Dh100,000 of the Dh1.4m is awarded to the translator, and the remaining prize is split between the two publishers who publish the original Arabic work and the one who translates it.
Sharjah Award for an Emirati Book announced new category for budding local talent. This Dh300,000 award category has introduced an important new category “Best Emirati Book for First-Time Authors” to encourage and promote emerging local writers, who will be awarded Dh50,000 for an outstanding debut novel that demonstrates their literary prowess and creative ingenuity.
The other three sub-categories of this award are: Best Emirati Novel Award, Best Emirati Creative Literature Book, and Best Emirati Academic Book, which are designed to encourage local literary talents, authors, researchers and publishers to continue enriching the UAE library with exceptional and valuable work.
The Dh150,000 Sharjah Award for Best Arabic Novel recognises original works that present fresh themes, styles, and creative perspectives in their portrayal of the sociocultural realities of the Arab world.
Divided into two subcategories of fiction and non-fiction, each valued at Dh50,000, Sharjah Award for the Best International Book honours the most outstanding literary works of the year in English.
The Dh75,000 Sharjah Publisher Recognition Award is split equally amongst the winners of the following sub-categories: Best Local Publisher, Best Arab Publisher and Best International Publisher, recognising each one’s contributions to advancing the global industry.
For detailed information regarding the terms and eligibility criteria for participation in SIBF’s Awards 2023, those interested can visit the SIBF’s official website.
