Submissions are currently open for the 21st edition of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award, one of the world’s leading awards dedicated to Arabic literature and culture. Interested authors have until the final deadline of September 1st to submit their work.
Spotlight on Translation Funding: Sheikh Zayed Book Award
The first in a series highlighting international funding opportunities publishing books in translation. The Sheikh Zayed Book Award started their Translation Grant in 2018 with a goal to expand the reach of Arabic literature around the world.
‘Politically Urgent, Humanely Thought-provoking:’ Furthering Translation Projects Around the World
Expanding the reach of global literature through translation, a grant program and a literary award are open for submissions.
On Archives, Canons, and Literary Detective Work: A Profile of Iman Mersal
The author’s Sheikh Zayed Book Award-winning book retraces the life and legacy of novelist Enayat al-Zayyat and prompts a discussion about what stories should be remembered and told.
Philosophy Hiding in Plain Sight: A Profile of Scholar and Author Frank Griffel
Griffel’s work, which won the Sheikh Zayed Book Award in 2024 for Arab Cultures in Other Languages, upends a misunderstanding about philosophical discourse in the Islamic world.
Winners Announced for the 20th Edition of Sheikh Zayed Book Award
The SZBA winners’ achievements “transcend borders, demonstrating that Arab culture is not peripheral but integral to a shared global dialogue,” says HE Dr. Ali bin Tamim, Secretary-General of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre.
“The Luxury to Say ‘No’”: Talking with Children’s Author Maria Dadouch
Author of more than 80 books for children, Dadouch, who won the Sheikh Zayed Book Award for Children’s Literature in 2022, seeks to publish books children actually want to read.
Dr. Said Laouadi on the Connection Between Food and Literature
In his Sheikh Zayed Book Award-winning work, Dr. Said Laouadi explored food as a crucial organizing metaphor in pre-modern Arabic writing, which is not dissimilar to turns of phrase seen in English.
Author and Publisher Ahmed Al-Qarmalawi on Expanding Audiences for Arabic Literature
Ahmed Al-Qarmalawi won the 2018 Sheikh Zayed Book Award in the Young Author category which led to an expanded audience of readers, more awards, and the founding of his publishing house.
Reem Bassiouney on the Importance of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award, ‘It is Literature that Bridges Differences and Times.’
Leading up to the 20th anniversary ceremony of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award, Publishing Perspectives is running a series of profiles on past winners. Reem Bassiouney won the 2024 Sheikh Zayed Book Award for Literature.