Recipients of Zayed Book Award announced
The winners of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award 20172018, which aims to promote scholarship and creativity in Arab culture, have been announced. The annual award, which was founded in 2007, carries cash prizes totalling Dh7 million – with Dh750,000 per winner. The titles were chosen from 337 nominations across the Mena region. Here are some of the winning entries. Literature: This went to Syrian novelist Khalil Sweileh for Ikhtibar al-nadam (Remorse Test) published by Nofal-Hachette Antoine, Beirut (2017). The book examines the psychological effects of the Syrian Civil War, examined through the lens of a trip taken around a ruined Damascus. Children’s Literature: Emirati Hessa Al Muhairi for her story Al Dinoraf, published by Al Hudhud, UAE (2017). In it, a dinosaur sets out to find his counterpart in the animal kingdom. During his search, he meets many animals and learns all about them, before finally coming across one that resembles him: the giraffe. The underlying message is one of tolerance within society and across cultures.
Young Author: Egyptian Ahmad Al Qarmalawi for Amtar Sayfiyyah (Summer Rains),
published by Maktabat al-Dar al-Arabiyah lil-Kitab, Cairo (2017). The novel tackles the relationship between music and the soul. Translation: Tunisian Néji Elounelli for his Arabic translation of Natharayya ‘astiteeqyya’ (Ästhetische
Theorie) – the work of German author Theodor W Adorno, published by Al Jamal Publications, Beirut 2017. Adorno’s work investigates the theoretical paradigm of aesthetics that shifts the perspective from the traditional theory of knowledge to critical philosophy in society.
Arab Culture in Other Languages: Germany’s Dag Nikolaus Hasse for Success and Suppression: Arabic Sciences and Philosophy in
the Renaissance. The book focuses on the role of Arabic sciences and philosophy in the Renaissance in Europe.
Saif Saeed Ghobash, director general of the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi, congratulated the winners, saying: “This is a fitting appreciation to the memory of the late Sheikh Zayed; crowning this outstanding group of writers, intellectuals, publishers and young talent as winners of an award in his name, and echoing his vision of fostering the sciences to enrich Arab cultural, literary and social life.”