ABU DHABI, 22nd February, 2023 (WAM) — The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), part of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), has opened the nomination period for the second edition of its ‘Kanz Al Jeel’ Award, which honours works of Nabati poetry, folk studies, and research.
The award is given to poets and researchers who have created works related to Nabati poetic heritage. It aims to promote distinguished poetic works and recognise the creative minds behind them, in an effort to strengthen pride in cultural identity and more closely connect younger generations with their artistic heritage.
Candidates can submit their applications to any of the award’s six categories: Poetry Matching (with a poem by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Founding Father of the UAE), Creative Personality, Arts, Studies and Research, Poetic Publications, and Translation.
The award offers a total prize pool of AED1.5 million, and applications can be submitted on the Kanz Al Jeel website. The deadline for applications for the second edition is 1st June.
Dr. Ali bin Tamim, Chairman of the ALC, said, “Poetry has borne witness to the remarkable journey the country has embarked upon since the establishment of the union by our Founding Father. The ALC launched the ‘Kanz Al Jeel’ Award to support creativity in the field of Nabati poetry and promote this art form more widely, recognising its significant role in preserving Emirati and Arab heritage.”
He added, “Nabati poetry is an integral element of the identity and cultural memory of the UAE community, and it is our hope that the younger generations are inspired to engage with it more closely.”
Issa Saif Al Mazrouei, Vice Chairman of Abu Dhabi’s Cultural Programmes and Heritage Festivals Committee, and Chairman of the award’s Higher Committee, commented, “The award’s second edition focuses on fulfilling its main objective to establish an inspiring poetic, artistic, and critical movement based on the distinct poetic style of the late Sheikh Zayed."
The ‘Kanz Al Jeel’ Award has set general criteria for nominees, where nominations for the ‘Literary Figure’ category must come through academic, research and cultural institutions, or the Higher Committee of the award. As for the remaining five categories, nominations are open for talented individuals, literary unions, cultural institutions, universities and publishing houses.
Potential candidates also need to have actively contributed to enriching local and Arab poetic, critical, or artistic movements. Furthermore, nominated works must boast a high degree of originality and innovation, constituting a significant addition to human culture and knowledge.
Each candidate can submit only one work to one of the award’s categories. A nominated work cannot be submitted for another award in person or by proxy in the same year, and the award cannot be granted to a work that has previously won an Arab award or any major awards in other languages.
Rashed Alzaabi