The Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Foundation has announced that nominations are now open for the eighteenth session of Al Owais Cultural Awards 2022-2023, starting from January 5, 2022 until December 31, 2022.
The Al Owais Cultural Award, established by late poet Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais in 1987, is an independent and impartial award that is not subject to any influences or pressures. Innovation is the sole award criterion, regardless of the political, racial or religious backgrounds, ideological beliefs or gender of the candidates.
The Award, worth a total of USD $600,000- with a monetary prize of $120,000 for the winner in each of the Award’s categories- aims at honoring, encouraging and supporting Arab scholars, litterateurs, scientists and intellectuals so they can play their role in cultural, intellectual and scientific development in the Arab Homeland.
The Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Award includes 5 categories, namely: “Poetry”, “Short Story, Novel and Drama”, “Literary and Critical Studies”, “Humanities and Future Studies” and the “Cultural and Scientific Achievement Award”. Winners in the first four categories of the Award are determined by arbitration while the Scientific and Cultural Achievement Award is an independent award that is not subject to the judging criteria of the main award categories. The Scientific and Cultural Achievement Award is granted to a cultural, scientific or public personality or institution that has made a recognizable contribution to the Arab cultural scene. The winner is granted the award based on the final decision of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees.
The Foundation is currently sending out nomination forms to most Arab universities, literary and cultural institutions, associations, societies, and unions so as to ensure that the nomination forms are readily available to candidates all over the Arab world. Moreover, the forms may be directly obtained from Al Owais Cultural Foundation, and are also available through the Foundation’s website: www.alowais.com
Nominations for the Al Owais Cultural Awards either can be made through Arab universities, literary and cultural institutions, associations, societies or unions. Alternatively, as per the rules and regulations of the Award nominees may submit their nomination forms directly to the General Secretariat. Moreover, five Arab literati may also nominate whomever they should see worthy to receive this prestigious Award, provided that the nominee approves of the nomination when addressed by the General Secretariat of the Foundation.
It is worth mentioning that winners of the previous session of Al Owais Cultural Awards included Elias Lahhoud who won the “Poetry Award”, while the “Short Story, Novel and Drama” prize was won by Nabil Sulaiman. Moreover, the “Literary Studies and Criticism” prize was awarded to Dr. Abdul Malik Murtad and the “Humanities and Future Studies” prize went to Dr. Ahmed Zayed.
For more information about the Al Owais Cultural Award or to obtain an application form, kindly visit our website:
