emirates7 - Under the patronage of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC) revealed the winners and the Cultural Personality of the Year for the 19th edition of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award (SZBA).
The announcement followed a meeting of the SZBA Board of Trustees, which discussed the final outcomes of the evaluation process led by the judging panels and the award's Scientific Committee, ensuring the highest literary and cultural standards were upheld.
The winners of this year’s awards come from seven countries, including the UK, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, Iraq, Morocco, and the UAE. Their selection was based on objective, scientific criteria and rigorous governance.
The meeting, chaired by Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman of the SZBA Board of Trustees, was attended by various prominent members including Dr. Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh, Cultural Advisor to H.H. the UAE President, Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), and others.
Al Mubarak stated, “The Sheikh Zayed Book Award, with its forward-thinking vision and commitment to high standards, enhances the UAE’s role as a global hub for creativity and knowledge. It has evolved from a recognition initiative to a strategic national programme that promotes knowledge production and sparks cultural and scientific movements, reflecting the leadership's commitment to culture and knowledge as pillars of sustainable development and prosperity.”
Dr. Bin Tamim congratulated the winners for their outstanding contributions to enriching the Arab and global cultural scene, praising their works for addressing fresh, compelling topics and providing deep insights into the human experience. He also congratulated Haruki Murakami, who was honored as the Cultural Personality of the Year, for his unique literary style blending fantasy with realism. His work has had a significant influence globally, and his selection highlights the award’s commitment to fostering dialogue between cultures through literature.
Lebanese/French author Hoda Barakat won the Literature category for her novel *Hind or the Most Beautiful Woman in the World*. Moroccan writer Latifa Labsir claimed the Children’s Literature category for her book *The Phantom of Sabiba*.
Marco Di Branco from Italy won the Translation category for his English translation of *Orosius* by Paulus Orosius, while Dr. Said Laouadi from Morocco earned the Literary and Art Criticism award for *Food and Language: Cultural Excavations in Arab Heritage*.
Prof. Dr. Mohammed Bechari from the UAE won the Contribution to the Development of Nations category for *The Right to Strive: Perspectives on Muslim Women's Rights*. UK researcher Andrew Peacock received the Arab Culture in Other Languages category award for *Arabic Literary Culture in Southeast Asia in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries*.
The Editing of Arabic Manuscripts award went to Rasheed Alkhayoun from Iraq/UK for his critical edition of *News of Women*.
Haruki Murakami was honored as the Cultural Personality of the Year for his distinguished literary career and profound impact on both Arab and Western cultures.
The winners and Murakami will be celebrated in a ceremony on 28th April, coinciding with the 34th Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF).
The 19th edition of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award received a record number of submissions, with over 4,000 entries from 75 countries, including 20 Arab nations. Notably, five countries participated for the first time: Albania, Bolivia, Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago, and Mali.
The Sheikh Zayed Book Award stands as one of the most prestigious independent literary and academic prizes.
The announcement followed a meeting of the SZBA Board of Trustees, which discussed the final outcomes of the evaluation process led by the judging panels and the award's Scientific Committee, ensuring the highest literary and cultural standards were upheld.
The winners of this year’s awards come from seven countries, including the UK, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, Iraq, Morocco, and the UAE. Their selection was based on objective, scientific criteria and rigorous governance.
The meeting, chaired by Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman of the SZBA Board of Trustees, was attended by various prominent members including Dr. Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh, Cultural Advisor to H.H. the UAE President, Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), and others.
Al Mubarak stated, “The Sheikh Zayed Book Award, with its forward-thinking vision and commitment to high standards, enhances the UAE’s role as a global hub for creativity and knowledge. It has evolved from a recognition initiative to a strategic national programme that promotes knowledge production and sparks cultural and scientific movements, reflecting the leadership's commitment to culture and knowledge as pillars of sustainable development and prosperity.”
Dr. Bin Tamim congratulated the winners for their outstanding contributions to enriching the Arab and global cultural scene, praising their works for addressing fresh, compelling topics and providing deep insights into the human experience. He also congratulated Haruki Murakami, who was honored as the Cultural Personality of the Year, for his unique literary style blending fantasy with realism. His work has had a significant influence globally, and his selection highlights the award’s commitment to fostering dialogue between cultures through literature.
Lebanese/French author Hoda Barakat won the Literature category for her novel *Hind or the Most Beautiful Woman in the World*. Moroccan writer Latifa Labsir claimed the Children’s Literature category for her book *The Phantom of Sabiba*.
Marco Di Branco from Italy won the Translation category for his English translation of *Orosius* by Paulus Orosius, while Dr. Said Laouadi from Morocco earned the Literary and Art Criticism award for *Food and Language: Cultural Excavations in Arab Heritage*.
Prof. Dr. Mohammed Bechari from the UAE won the Contribution to the Development of Nations category for *The Right to Strive: Perspectives on Muslim Women's Rights*. UK researcher Andrew Peacock received the Arab Culture in Other Languages category award for *Arabic Literary Culture in Southeast Asia in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries*.
The Editing of Arabic Manuscripts award went to Rasheed Alkhayoun from Iraq/UK for his critical edition of *News of Women*.
Haruki Murakami was honored as the Cultural Personality of the Year for his distinguished literary career and profound impact on both Arab and Western cultures.
The winners and Murakami will be celebrated in a ceremony on 28th April, coinciding with the 34th Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF).
The 19th edition of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award received a record number of submissions, with over 4,000 entries from 75 countries, including 20 Arab nations. Notably, five countries participated for the first time: Albania, Bolivia, Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago, and Mali.
The Sheikh Zayed Book Award stands as one of the most prestigious independent literary and academic prizes.