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."About" page, Sheikh Zayed Book Award The award has been described as “the Arab World’s equivalent to the Nobel Prize”. The first award was in 2007. The total value of the prizes is 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. 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). A media debate ensued with some German commentators arguing that he should not have renounced the award.
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
Winners 2007 Cultural Personality of the Year: Denys Johnson-Davies Literature: Wacini Laredj, The Prince and the Passage of the Iron Doors Fine arts: Tharwat Ukhasha, The Indian Art Translation: Georges Zinaty, Althat a'inha Ka'khr (translated from French to Arabic) Contribution to the Development of Nations: Bashir Mohamed Al-Khadra, The Prophetic – Caliphate Pattern in the Arab Political Leadership and Democracy Young author: Mahmoud Zein Al-Abedeen, Architecture of the Ottoman Mosques Children's literature: Mohammed Ali Ahmad, A Journey on Paper
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 Cultural Personality of the Year: Mohamed Benaissa Literature: Ibrahim al Kouni, Call of What Was Far Fine arts: Rifat Chadirji, Dialectics and Causality of Architecture Translation: Faiz Assayagh, Sociology Young author: Mohamed Saadi, The Future of International Relations Publishing and Distribution: Emirates Centre for Scientific Research and Studies Children's literature: Huda Al-Shawwa Qadoumi, The Journey of Birds: To Qaf Mountain (about Mount Qaf)
2009 Cultural Personality of the Year: Pedro Martinez Montavez"Zayed Book Award announces Spanish scholar Pedro Montavez Cultural Personality of the Year." The Emirates 9 Mar. 2009. General OneFile. Web. 8 Oct. 2012. GALE|A195259752 Literature: Jamal Al Ghitani, Ren Fine arts: Maher Rady, Thought of Light Translation: Sa'ad Abdulaziz Maslouh, Translation Theory: Contemporary Trends (translation of Edwin Gentzler's Contemporary Translation Theories) Contribution to the Development of Nations: Baqer Salman Al Najjar, The Strenuous Democracy in the Arabian Gulf Young author: Youcef Oghlici, The Intricacy of Terminology in the New Arab Discourse Publishing and Distribution: Dar Al Masriah Al Lubnaniah
2010"Winners of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award 2010." (2010). Middle East (410), 59. 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. "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
2011 Cultural Personality of the Year: Xhong Jikun Contribution to the Development of Nations: Abdul Raouf Sinno, Harb Lubnan 1975–1990 Literature: Mohammad Miftah, Mafaheem Muwasa'a Li Nazaryah Shi'ryah Translation: Mohammad Ziyad Kibbeh, Al Tharwah wa lqtisad Al Ma'rifah (trans from Revolutionary Wealth by Alvin and Heidi Toffler) Children's literature: Affaf Tobbala, Al Bayt Wal Nakhlah
2012Sheikh Zayed Book Award’s Board of Trustees Statement of winners for the Award’s Sixth Session 2011/2012 , award website,Book news from the Emirates , 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: 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 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 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 Cultural Personality of the Year: Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Contribution to the Development of Nations: (no award) 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") 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 Cultural Personality of the Year: Amin Maalouf 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 Cultural Personality of the Year: Abdallah Laroui 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 Arabic Culture in Other Languages: Dag Nikolaus Hasse Literature: Khalil Sweileh Children's Literature: Hessa Al Muhairi Literary and Art Criticism: Mohamed Mechbal Translation: Naji Al 'Awnali Publishing and Technology: Dar Al Tanweer Cultural Personality of the Year: Arab World Institute Young Author: Ahmad Al Qarmalawy
2019 Publishing and Technology: The Arabic Center for Geographic Literature "Irtiyad al-Afaq" Cultural Personality of the Year: Jaroslav Stetkevych & Suzanne Stetkevych Arabic Culture in Other Languages: Philip Kennedy Children's Literature: Hussain Al Mutawaa Literary and Art Criticism: Charbel Dagher Literature: Bensalem Himmich Young Author: Abderrazak Belagrouz
2020 Arabic Culture in Other Languages: Richard van Leeuwen Children's Literature: Ibtisam Barakat Cultural Personality of the Year: Salma Khadra Jayyusi Literature: Moncef Ouahibi Publishing and Technology: Banipal Translation: Mohamed Ait Mihoub Young Author: Hayder Qasim
2021 Arabic Culture in Other Languages: Tahera Qutbuddin Children's Literature: Mizouni Bannani Contribution to the Development of Nations: Saeed El-Masry Literary and Art Criticism: Khelil Gouia Literature: Iman Mersal Publishing and Technology: Dar Al Jadeed Translation: Michael Cooperson Young Author: Asma bint Muqbel bin Awad Al-Ahmadi
2022 Arabic Culture in Other Languages: Muhsin Al-Musawi Children's Literature: Maria Dadouch Literary and Art Criticism: Mohamed Aldahi Literature: Maysoon Saqer