Moroccan wins Dh7M personality crown
dubai — Moroccan historian, author and scholar Abdallah Laroui has been named the Sheikh Zayed Book Award’s Cultural Personality of the Year 2017.
Laroui, who was born in the Moroccan city of Azemmour in 1933, has wide interests across the intellectual, literary, philosophical, history and cinema fields, with a varied portfolio that includes scholarly studies, literary works, and translations.
“The choice of the prominent historian and theoretician Abdallah Laroui as Cultural Personality of the Year has been made to reflect his well-founded thought movement and cultural momentum spanning the entire Arab world,” said Dr Ali bin Tamim, the award’s secretary-general. “His valuable contribution to academic institutes and scientific bodies has profoundly influenced Arab political thinking and inspired numerous cultural and literary practices.”
In an interview with Khaleej Times, Laroui’s publisher Bassam Kurdi noted that the author’s complete works will be published “soon” and be made available at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, where the award and the Dh7 million prize that accompanies it will be presented to Laroui.
In winning the award, Laroui joins a number of other high-profile figures, including the late King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia (2014), and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai (2015).
abu dhabi — The Sheikh Zayed Book Award has announced Moroccan historian and scholar, Abdallah Laroui, as the Cultural Personality of the Year for the award’s 11th session. The title honours prominent figures for their unique contributions to the advancement of Arabic culture, and for works that portray tolerance and promote peaceful coexistence.
Dr Ali bin Tamim, the award’s secretary-general, said: “The choice of the prominent historian and theoretician Abdallah Laroui as Cultural Personality of the Year has been made to reflect his wellfounded thought movement and cultural momentum spanning the entire Arab world. His valuable contribution to academic institutes and scientific bodies has profoundly influenced Arab political thinking and inspired numerous cultural and literary practices.”
Born on November 7, 1933, in the city of Azemmour in Morocco, Laroui received his preliminary and secondary studies in Rabat and moved to Paris to continue his higher education. With wide interests across intellectual, literary and artistic scopes, especially in the fields of philosophy, history, narrative arts, and cinema, Laroui’s portfolio includes numerous publications of scholarly studies, literary works and translations in a number of Moroccan, Arabic, and French journals.
Bassam Kurdi, editor and general manager, Book Cultural Center, told Khaleej Times: “He wrote many books on ideological criticism, history of ideologies and regimes. These are in addition to the many novels which have been published in several journals and magazines in Rabat, Beirut and Paris.” Book Cultural Center will soon publish Laroui’s complete works, which will be available at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2017.
The award will be presented at the Sheikh Zayed Book Award’s annual ceremony during the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair on April 30. The total value of the prize is Dh7 million, making it one of the richest literary awards in the world. ahmedshaaban@khaleejtims.com