ABU DHABI, 23rd May 2023 (WAM) — Under the patronage of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, H.H. Sheikh Nahyan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Zayed Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation (Zayed CHF), and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, has honoured the winners of the 17th Sheikh Zayed Book Award in a ceremony held at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) during the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair.
Organised by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), part of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, the 2023 edition of the award received the highest number of submissions to date; 3,151 from 60 countries, including 22 Arab nations and 38 countries from around the world.
Sheikh Nahyan bin Zayed presented trophies to winners in the following categories: Literature – Ali Jaafar Alallaq from Iraq; Arab Culture in Other Languages – Mathieu Tillier from France; Young Author – Said Khatibi from Algeria; Translation – Chokri Al Saadi from Tunisia; Art and Literary Criticism – Dr. Jalila Al Tritar from Tunisia and Publishing and Technology – Dar ElAin Publishing from Egypt.
He also honoured the renowned Egyptian musician Omar Khairat, who received the Cultural Personality of the Year award in recognition of his contribution to shaping the collective cultural consciousness of the Arab region.
In attendance were Mohamed Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi; Awaidha Al Marar, Chairman of the Department of Energy – Abu Dhabi; Dr. Mugheer Al Khalili, Chairman of the Department of Community Development; Mansour Al Mansouri, Chairman of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi; Zaki Nusseibeh, Cultural Adviser to the UAE President and Chancellor of the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU); Saood Abdulaziz Al Hosani, Under-Secretary at the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi; Dr. Ali bin Tamim, Secretary-General of the Shiekh Zayed Book Award and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre; Abdullah Majid Al Ali, Director-General of the National Library and Archives; Aref Hamad Al Awani, Secretary-General of Abu Dhabi Sports Council; Saeed Ali Obaid Al Fazari, Strategic Affairs Executive Director of Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi; Adnan Mohammed Al Awadi, Support Services Executive Director of Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi; Nasser Mohammed Al Mansouri, Under-Secretary of the Ruler’s Representative Court in Al Dhafra Region; Major General Thani Butti Al Shamsi, Director of Saif bin Zayed Academy for Police and Security Sciences; and Major General Salem Saeed Al Shamsi, Commander of the National Defence College.
Established in 2006, the Sheikh Zayed Book Award honours intellectuals, researchers and authors who have made significant contributions to modern-day literature, social sciences, culture and knowledge.