Sheikh Zayed Book Award

{{Short description|Annual book award}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2023}}

{{Infobox award

| name = Sheikh Zayed Book Award

| image = Logo of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award, established in 2006.png

| imagesize = 150px

| awarded_for = Arab writers, intellectuals, publishers

| presenter =

| date = annual

| country = United Arab Emirates

| year = 2007

| website = {{URL|http://www.zayedaward.ae/}}

}}

The Sheikh Zayed Book Award is a literary award presented yearly to writers, intellectuals, publishers whose writings and scholarly publications contributed to Arab cultural, literary and social life.[https://www.zayedaward.com/en/index.aspx?id=68 "About" page], Sheikh Zayed Book Award The award has been described as “the Arab World’s equivalent to the Nobel Prize”.{{Cite web|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/international/trade-shows/article/89364-the-sheikh-zayed-book-award-celebrates-16-years.html|title=The Sheikh Zayed Book Award Celebrates 16 Years|first=Ed|last=Nawotka |website=PublishersWeekly.com|accessdate=30 November 2023}} The first award was in 2007. The total value of the prizes is {{currency|7,000,000|AED}} making it one of the richest literary awards in the world.

The award is named in memory of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding father of the United Arab Emirates.

History

Beginning with 2013 awards, a new category was added called "Arabic Culture in Other Languages", "to honor best written works in Chinese, German and English languages on the subject of the Arabic civilization and culture including novels, short stories, poems, biographies, history and arts.""Literary Prize Recognizes Works Celebrating Arabic Culture in English." Entertainment Close-up 10 May 2012. General OneFile. Web. 8 Oct. 2012. In addition a number of other categories were merged, created or redefined."Nominations pour in for sheikh zayed book prize." (2012, Aug 26). The National [Abu Dhabi]. ProQuest document ID 1035160511"Sheikh Zayed Book Award Launches Its Revamped Website." Islamic Finance News [Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia] 1 Aug. 2012. Infotrac Newsstand. Web. 8 Oct. 2012.

In 2018, the Sheikh Zayed Book Award launched a translation grant, to encourage the translation of Arabic literature into other languages.{{cite web | url=https://publishingperspectives.com/2020/12/sheikh-zayed-book-award-opens-translation-funding-for-all-shortlisted-works-in-2021/ | title=Sheikh Zayed Book Award Opens Translation Funding for All Shortlists | date=17 December 2020 }} The grant is open year-round to publishers and translators around the world to publish shortlisted or award-winning literary works from the Award’s Literature and Young Author prize categories.

In 2021, German philosopher Jürgen Habermas declined his Zayed Book Award, citing the UAE's political system (a repressive non-democracy).{{Cite web|title=German philosopher Habermas rejects UAE's Zayed Book Award|url=https://apnews.com/article/europe-middle-east-entertainment-government-and-politics-arts-and-entertainment-1fe05291c8fd37bb106d6ee8423182cf|access-date=2021-05-02|website=AP NEWS|date=2 May 2021 }}{{Cite news|last=SPIEGEL|first=Dietmar Pieper, DER|title=Jürgen Habermas und die emiratische Propaganda: Lässt sich der Starphilosoph vereinnahmen?|url=https://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/juergen-habermas-und-die-emiratische-propaganda-laesst-sich-der-star-philosoph-vereinnahmen-a-adfdc2f3-4ffa-4217-bb0e-c5bfd3b1aac8|access-date=2021-05-02|newspaper=Der Spiegel|date=2 May 2021 |language=de}} A media debate ensued with some German commentators arguing that he should not have renounced the award.{{cite web | url=https://www.boersenblatt.net/news/preise-und-auszeichnungen/juergen-boos-es-waere-ein-anlass-zur-auseinandersetzung-mit-seinem | title=Juergen Boos: "Es wäre ein Anlass zur Auseinandersetzung mit seinem Werk gewesen" }}{{cite web | url=https://en.qantara.de/content/german-angst-and-the-sheikh-zayed-book-award-habermas-philosopher-of-communication-rejects | title=German angst and the Sheikh Zayed Book Award: Habermas, philosopher of communication, rejects dialogue | Qantara.de | date=7 May 2021 }}

Award categories

the Award presents a range of annual prizes in different categories such as ‘Literature’, ‘Translation’, ‘Arabic Culture in Other Languages’, and ‘Cultural Personality of the Year’.

The "Cultural Person of the Year" is the category which honours a prominent Arab or international figure (or organisation) who has contributed to the advancement of Arabic culture. It bestows an award of one million Dirhams (around $300,000) while the other categories receive around $200,000 each."Government founds 1m [pounds sterling] book prize." The Bookseller 2 Mar. 2007: 18. Literature Resource Center. Web. 8 Oct. 2012. GALE|A164104106

  • Sheikh Zayed Award for Arts
  • Sheikh Zayed Award for Best Technology in the Cultural Field
  • Sheikh Zayed Award for Children's Literature
  • Sheikh Zayed Award for Cultural Personality of the Year
  • Sheikh Zayed Award for Development and State Building
  • Sheikh Zayed Award for Literature
  • Sheikh Zayed Award for Manuscript Editing
  • Sheikh Zayed Award for Publishing and Distribution
  • Sheikh Zayed Award for Translation
  • Sheikh Zayed Award for Young Author{{Cite web |date=2023-02-02 |title=فروع الجائزة - جائزة الشيخ زايد للكتاب |url=https://www.zayedaward.ae/ar/how.to.nominate.aspx |access-date=2024-10-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230202135557/https://www.zayedaward.ae/ar/how.to.nominate.aspx |archive-date=2 February 2023 }}

Winners

2007{{cite web |url=http://zayedaward.ae/portal/gallery/index.html |title=Winners 2007-2012 |website=zayedaward.ae |author= |date= |accessdate=December 1, 2015 |url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150618221905/http://www.zayedaward.ae/portal/gallery/index.html |archivedate=June 18, 2015 }}

2008"Major Cultural Award in Arab World Announces Winners." PR Newswire 17 Mar. 2008. Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 8 Oct. 2012. GALE|A176762249

2009

2010"Winners of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award 2010." (2010). Middle East (410), 59. {{ISSN|0305-0734}}

  • Cultural Personality of the Year: Khalid bin Mohammed Al Qasimi
  • Best Contribution to the Development of the Country: Ammar AM Hasan, The Political Establishment of Sufism in Egypt
  • Young author: Mohammad Al Mallakh, Time in Arabic Language: Its Linguistic Structure and Significance
  • Translation: Albert Habib Mutlaq, The Animal Encyclopedia
  • Fine arts: Iyad Al Husseini, The Art of Design
  • Children's literature: Qais Sedki, Gold RingNeild, Barry. "[https://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/09/10/uae.manga.arabic/index.html?hpt=Sbin Japanese manga heroes join fight to save Arabic culture]." CNN. September 10, 2010. Retrieved on September 10, 2010.
  • Publishing and Distribution: Nahdet Misr Publishing and Printing
  • Literature: Hafnaoui Baali, Comparative Cultural Criticism- an Introduction (Note: Award withdrawn due to "research methodologies and ethics employed by the author" i.e. plagiarism)"Sheikh Zayed Book Award withdraws Literature Award." WAM – United Arab Emirates News Agency, Oct 26, 2010. Article A240530982 Last accessed Oct. 8, 2012{{cite web |url=https://www.thenational.ae/uae/education/judges-take-back-dh750-000-zayed-literary-prize-1.538089 |title=Judges take back Dh750,000 Zayed literary prize |work=The National |author=Anna Seaman |date=October 27, 2010 |accessdate=July 13, 2017}}

2011

2012[http://zayedaward.ae/portal/en/News2D_en.aspx?NID=412 Sheikh Zayed Book Award’s Board of Trustees Statement of winners for the Award’s Sixth Session 2011/2012] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120330235110/http://zayedaward.ae/portal/en/News2D_en.aspx?NID=412 |date=2012-03-30 }}, award website,[http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2012/1092/cu2.htm Book news from the Emirates] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120406135400/http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2012/1092/cu2.htm |date=2012-04-06 }}, David Tresilian, Al-Ahram Weekly On-Line, 5 – 11 April 2012, Issue No. 1092

  • Cultural Personality of the Year: UNESCO
  • Fine Arts: Shaker Abdel-Hamid, Art and Eccentrics
  • Translation: {{Cite book|last=Husserl|first=Edmund|author-link=Edmund Husserl|title=Afkar Mumahhida li 'ilm al-ẓahiriyyat al-khalis wa lil falsafah al-ẓahiriyyatiyyah|publisher=Jadawel|year=2011|isbn=9786144180440|location=Beirut|translator-last=Marzouki|translator-first=Abu Yaareb|script-title=ar:أفكار ممهدة لعلم الظاهريات الخالص وللفلسفة الظاهرياتية|trans-title=Ideas Pertaining to a Pure Phenomenology and to a Phenomenological Philosophy|translator-link=Mohamed Habib Marzouki}}
  • Young author: Layla Al Obaidi, Al Fakh in Islam ("Humor in Islam")
  • Publishing and Distribution: Brill Publishers
  • Best Technology in the Field of Culture: Paju Bookcity
  • Children's Literature: Abdo Wazen, The Boy Who Saw the Color of Air

2013{{cite web |url=http://www.khaleejtimes.com/nation/inside.asp?xfile=/data/nationgeneral/2012/September/nationgeneral_September143.xml§ion=nationgeneral |title=Sheikh Zayed Book Award promotes new category in Berlin |work=Khaleej Times |date=10 September 2012 |accessdate=Oct 8, 2012}}{{cite web|url=http://zayedaward.ae/portal/en/readnew.aspx?id=170 |title=2013 Sheikh Zayed Book Award Winners Announced |work=zayedaward.ae |author= |date=April 3, 2013 |accessdate=November 9, 2013 |url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110081312/http://zayedaward.ae/portal/en/readnew.aspx?id=170 |archivedate=November 10, 2013 }}{{cite web |url=http://arablit.wordpress.com/2013/04/02/sheikh-zayed-book-award-for-literature-withheld-again-this-year/ |title=Sheikh Zayed Book Award for Literature Withheld Again This Year |work=Arabic Literature (in English) |author=mlynxqualey |date=April 2, 2013 |accessdate=November 9, 2013}}

  • Cultural Personality of the Year: Ahmed el-Tayeb (Egypt)
  • Arab Culture in Non-Arabic Languages: Marina Warner (UK), Stranger Magic: Charmed States and the Arabian Nights
  • Translation: Fathi Meskini (Tunisia), Being and Time (from the German by Martin Heidegger)
  • Literary and Art Criticism: Abdullah Ibrahim (Iraq), Al Takhayol Al Tarikhi (Historic Visualization)
  • Publishing and Cultural Technologies: National Council for Culture, Arts and Literature, Kuwait
  • Best Contribution to the Development of the Country: Elizabeth Kassab (Lebanon), Contemporary Arab Thought (Arabic: Al Fikr al 'arabi al Mu'aser)
  • Young Author: Adil Hadjami (Morocco), Falsafat Jeel Deleuze ("Deleuze philosophy on Existentialism and Difference")

2014{{cite web |url=http://zayedaward.ae/portal/en/readnew.aspx?id=209 |title=Sheikh Zayed Book Award names Personality of the Year 2014 |publisher=Sheikh Zayed Book Award |author= |date=April 16, 2014 |accessdate=May 27, 2014 |url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20140528064159/http://zayedaward.ae/portal/en/readnew.aspx?id=209 |archivedate=May 28, 2014 }}{{cite web |url=https://www.thenational.ae/uae/egyptian-author-wins-sheikh-zayed-book-award-for-literature |title=Egyptian author wins Sheikh Zayed Book Award for Literature |work=The National |location=United Arab Emeritus |author=Lindsay Carroll |date=March 31, 2014 |accessdate=May 27, 2014}}

  • Cultural Personality of the Year: Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, Ruler of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
  • Contribution to the Development of Nations: Saeed Abdullah Al Soyan for his study "The Epic of Human Evolution"
  • Children's Literature: Jawdat Fakhr Eldine for his book "Thirty Poems for Children"
  • Young Author: Rami Abu Shihab for his book "Permanence and Deception: Post-Colonial Discourse in the Contemporary Arab Criticism"
  • Translation: Mohammed Al Tahir Al Mansouri (Tunisia) for translating the book "Housing the Stranger in the Mediterranean World"
  • Literature: Abdel Rasheed Mahmoudi (Egypt) for his novel "After Coffee"
  • Literary and Art Criticism: (no award)
  • Arabic Culture in Other Languages: Mario Liverani (Italy) for his book "Imagining Babylon"
  • Publishing and Technology: Arab Foundation "House of Wisdom", from Tunisia

2015{{cite web |url=http://zayedaward.ae/portal/en/readnew.aspx?id=230 |title=Sheikh Zayed Book Award Ninth Session Winners Announced |website=zayedaward.ae |author= |date= |accessdate=December 1, 2015 |url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208112602/http://zayedaward.ae/portal/en/readnew.aspx?id=230 |archivedate=December 8, 2015 }}

  • Cultural Personality of the Year: Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum{{cite web |url=https://www.thenational.ae/uae/heritage/sheikh-mohammed-bin-rashid-named-cultural-personality-of-the-year |title=Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid named Cultural Personality of the Year |website=thenational.ae |author=Ayesha Al Khoori |date=April 15, 2015 |accessdate=December 1, 2015}}
  • Contribution to the Development of Nations: (no award){{cite web |url=https://www.thenational.ae/uae/education/three-sheikh-zayed-book-award-categories-disqualified-due-to-poor-quality |title=Three Sheikh Zayed Book Award categories disqualified due to poor quality |website=thenational.ae |author=Staff writer |date=March 16, 2015 |accessdate=December 1, 2015}}
  • Children's Literature: (no award)
  • Young Author: (no award)
  • Translation: Hanawa Haruo (Japan) for translating Naguib Mahfouz's Cairo Trilogy into Arabic
  • Literature: Osama Alaysa (Palestine) for his novel Majaneen bait lahem ("The fools of Bethlehem"){{cite web |url=http://www.thenational.ae/arts-lifestyle/books/sheikh-zayed-book-award-winner-osama-alaysa-finds-new-meanings-in-madness |title=Sheikh Zayed Book Award winner Osama Alaysa finds new meanings in madness |website=thenational.ae |author=Saeed Saeed |date=May 9, 2015 |accessdate=December 1, 2015}}
  • Literary and Art Criticism: (no award)
  • Arabic Culture in Other Languages: Sugita Hideaki (Japan) for Arabian-Naito to Nihon-Jin ("The Arabian Nights and the Japanese")
  • Publishing and Technology: Arab Scientific Publishers Inc. (Lebanon)

2016{{cite web |url=http://www.zayedaward.ae/2016/04/sheikh-zayed-book-award-announces-winners-of-its-tenth-cycle-2015-2016/ |title=Sheikh Zayed Book Award Announces Winners of Its Tenth Cycle (2015-2016) |work=Sheikh Zayed Book Award website |author= |date=6 April 2016 |accessdate=April 12, 2016}}

  • Cultural Personality of the Year: Amin Maalouf{{cite web |url=http://www.zayedaward.ae/authors/amin-maalouf/ |title=The 'Cultural Personality of the Year' Award Winner |work=Sheikh Zayed Book Award website |author= |date= |accessdate=April 28, 2017}}
  • Children's Literature: (no award)
  • Young Author: (no award)
  • Contribution to the Development of Nations: Jamal Sanad Al-Suwaidi (UAE) for Al-Sarab (The Mirage)
  • Translation: Keyan Yahya (Iraq) for translation of The Meaning of Meaning by Ogden and Richards
  • Literature: Ibrahim Abdelmeguid (Egypt) for Ma Wara’a al-Kitaba (Beyond Writing)
  • Literary and Art Criticism: Said Yaktine for Al-Fikr al-Adabi al-‘Arabi (Arabic Literary Thought)
  • Arab Culture in Other Languages: Roshdi Rashed (Egypt) for Angles et Grandeur
  • Publishing and Technology: Dar Al-Saqi publishers of London

2017{{cite web |url=http://www.zayedaward.ae/2017/03/sheikh-zayed-book-award-eleventh-session-winners-announced/ |title=Sheikh Zayed Book Award Eleventh Session Winners Announced |work=Sheikh Zayed Book Award website |author= |date=9 March 2017 |accessdate=April 28, 2017}}

  • Cultural Personality of the Year: Abdallah Laroui{{cite web |url=http://www.zayedaward.ae/2017/04/sheikh-zayed-book-award-names-abdallah-laroui-cultural-personality-of-the-year/ |title=Sheikh Zayed Book Award Names Abdallah Laroui "Cultural Personality of the Year" |work=Sheikh Zayed Book Award website |author= |date=5 April 2017 |accessdate=April 28, 2017}}{{cite web |url=https://gulfnews.com/news/uae/culture/laroui-named-cultural-personality-of-the-year-1.2006323#.WOeDjUtdZbM.facebook |title=Laroui named Cultural Personality of the Year |work=Gulf News |author= |date=5 April 2017 |accessdate=April 28, 2017}}
  • Children's Literature: Lateefa Buti (Kuwait) for Bila qubba’a (Hatless)
  • Contribution to the Development of Nations: Mohammad Chahrour (Syria) for Al Islam wal Insan (Islam and the Human Being)
  • Translation: Ziad Bou Akl (Lebanon/France) for translation from Arabic to French of Ibn Rushd, Al-Darûrî fî usûl al-fiqh (Averroès: Le Philosophe Et La Loi)
  • Literature: Abbas Beydoun (Lebanon) for Khareef al Bara’a (The Autumn of Innocence)
  • Literary and Art Criticism: Said Al Ghanimi (Iraq/Australia) for Fā‘iliyyat al-Khayāl al-Adabī (The Validity of Literary Fiction)
  • Arab Culture in Other Languages: David Wirmer for Vom Denken der Natur zur Natur des Denkens
  • Publishing and Technology: Kalimat Group, Sharjah, UAE

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023{{Cite web |title=Sheikh Zayed Book Award announces winners of its 17th edition |url=https://www.zayedaward.ae/en/media.center/news/sheikh.zayed.book.award.announces.winners.of.its.17th.edition.aspx |access-date=2023-05-05 |website=sheikh zayed book award |language=en}}

2024{{Cite web |title=Sheikh Zayed Book Award previous winners |url=https://www.zayedaward.ae/en/previous.editions/winners.aspx?status=1&year=2024&category=all |access-date=2024-04-11 |website=sheikh zayed book award |language=en}}

2025{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2025-04-10 |title=Awards: Astrid Lindgren Memorial Winner; Sheikh Zayed Book Winners; IBPA Finalists |url=https://www.shelf-awareness.com/issue.html?issue=4949#m67197 |access-date=2025-04-11 |website=Shelf Awareness }}

  • Cultural Personality of the Year: Haruki Murakami
  • Literature: Hoda Barakat, Hind, or the Most Beautiful Woman in the World (Dar al Adab, 2024)
  • Children's Literature: Latifa Labsir, The Phantom of Sabiba (Markaz Kitab, 2024)
  • Arab Culture in Other Languages: Andrew Peacock, Arab Literature in Southeast Asia in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries (Brill, 2024)
  • Translation: Marco di Branco, Orosius (Pisa University Press, 2024)
  • Editing of Arabic Manuscripts: Rasheed Alkhayoun, News of Women (King Faisal Centre for Research and Islamic Studies, 2024)
  • Contribution to the Development of Nations: Mohamed Bashari, The Right to Strive: Perspectives on Muslim Women's Rights (Nahdet Misr Publishing, 2024)
  • Literary and Art Criticism: Said Laouadi, Food and Language: Cultural Excavations in Arabic Heritage (Afrique Orient, 2023)

References

{{Reflist|30em}}