CAIRO, 12th May, 2023 (WAM) – Four Egyptian writers were honoured at the 13th edition of the Sharjah Cultural Awards Forum held in Cairo under the patronage of H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah. The event recognised the achievements of critic Ahmed Shams El Din Al Hajjaji, writer Mohammed Zakaria Anani, storyteller and novelist Jar Al Nabi Al Hilou, and novelist Abdo Mohammed Abdo, in their contributions to contemporary Arab culture, in line with the directives of the Ruler of Sharjah.
The honouring ceremony was attended by Abdullah Al Owais, Chairman of the Sharjah Department of Culture (SDC), Dr. Nevin Al Kilani, Egyptian Minister of Culture and Chairman of the Supreme Council of Culture, Mariam Khalifa Al Kaabi, UAE Ambassador to the Arab Republic of Egypt, Mohamed Ibrahim Al Qasir, Director of the Cultural Affairs Department in SDC, Dr. Hisham Azmy, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Culture, a large crowd of Egyptian intellectuals, members of the academia, novelists and writers, and the families of the four honourees.
In his speech, Al Owais said that joy and happiness are reiterated with renewed fraternal meetings, Arab communication and joint cooperation, embodied in the depth of the historical relations between the UAE and the Arab Republic of Egypt, under a wise leadership that believes in the importance of continuing Arab communication in all fields.
Welcoming the attendees, Dr. Al Kilani said that she was pleased to host the Sharjah Cultural Awards Forum in Egypt, which enjoys the great sponsorship of the Ruler of Sharjah, and confirmed the continuation of his efforts in cultivating intelligentsia in the Arab world, which reflects the foundations of Sharjah’s cultural project, followed in Egypt with great pride and appreciation.
At the beginning of her speech, Mariam Al Kaabi stressed the importance of brotherly cooperation and consolidating the depth of historical relations between the UAE and Egypt under the wise leadership that realises the importance of Arab integration at all levels.
She added that the 13th Sharjah Cultural Awards Forum is held in Egypt for the fourth time since it was launched in April 2021, representing a new cultural initiative added to the series of joint cooperation between the SDC and the Egyptian Ministry of Culture over the past years.
The four honourees expressed their happiness at winning the awards, stressing that the forum is a noble gesture of the Ruler of Sharjah.
At the end of the ceremony, Abdullah Al Owais and Mohamed Al Qaseer, along with Dr. Hisham Azmy, Maryam Khalifa Al Kaabi and Dr. Nevin Al Kilani, handed over certificates of appreciation to the four honourees in appreciation of their literary and intellectual efforts in the Arab cultural arena.