Under the patronage of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC) has announced the winners and Cultural Personality of the year for the 19th edition of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award.
The announcement followed a meeting of the Award’s Board of Trustees during which members reviewed the final outcomes of the evaluation process, conducted by the judging panels and the Award’s Scientific Committee, in accordance with the highest literary and cultural standards.
The nine winners represent seven countries: the United Kingdom, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, Iraq, Morocco, and the United Arab Emirates. Their selection was based on objective, scientific criteria and rigorous governance upheld by the Award.
The meeting was chaired by Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, and attended by Board members Dr. Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh, Cultural Advisor to H.H. the UAE President; Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi); Saood Abdulaziz Al Hosani, Undersecretary of DCT Abu Dhabi; Abdullah Majid Al Ali, Director-General of the National Archives and Library; Dr. Ali bin Tamim, Chairman of the ALC and Secretary-General of the Award; and Abdulrahman Al Naqbi, Director of the ALC’s Literary Awards Department.
Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak underlined that the Sheikh Zayed Book Award reinforces the UAE’s status as a global hub for creativity and knowledge. He noted that the Award serves as a vital platform for supporting knowledge production and fostering cultural engagement, scientific research, and authorship—reflecting the vision of the UAE’s wise leadership, which upholds culture and knowledge as fundamental pillars of sustainable societal development.
Dr. Ali Bin Tamim congratulated the winners of the 19th edition of the Award, commending their exceptional contributions to both the Arab and international cultural landscape. He noted that the winning works stood out for their depth, originality, and insightful exploration of themes that resonate with the human spirit and illuminate the dimensions of time and history. Their thought-provoking approaches and distinguished subjects earned the admiration of the Award’s organisers and added meaningful value to contemporary cultural discourse.
He also congratulated Haruki Murakami, the recipient of the Cultural Personality of the Year award, noting that the acclaimed Japanese novelist is truly deserving of the honour. Murakami’s literary oeuvre, distinguished by its seamless blend of fantasy and stark realism, has left a profound impact that extends far beyond Japan. His selection for this prestigious accolade reflects the Award’s commitment to fostering cross-cultural dialogue and bridging civilisations through literature and intellectual exchange.
Lebanese-French author Hoda Barakat received the award in the Literature category for her novel “Hind or the Most Beautiful Woman in the World”, while Moroccan writer Latifa Labsir won in the Children’s Literature category for her book “The Phantom of Sabiba.”
In the Translation category, Italian scholar Marco Di Branco was honoured for his translation of “Orosius” by Paulus Orosius from Arabic into English. Moroccan academic Dr. Said Laouadi received the award in the Literary and Art Criticism category for his thought-provoking book “Food and Language: Cultural Excavations in Arab Heritage.”
The Contribution to the Development of Nations category went to Emirati professor Dr. Mohammed Bechari for his insightful work “The Right to Strive: Perspectives on Muslim Women’s Rights.” British researcher Andrew Peacock earned the award in the Arab Culture in Other Languages category for his book “Arabic Literary Culture in Southeast Asia in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries.”
In the Editing of Arabic Manuscripts category, Iraqi-British scholar Rasheed Alkhayoun was recognised for his critical edition of the historical text “News of Women.”
The Sheikh Zayed Book Award has named renowned Japanese author Haruki Murakami as the Cultural Personality of the Year, recognising his prolific literary career and far-reaching influence that transcends borders. Murakami’s body of work, widely translated and read around the world, reflects the power of literature to bridge cultures and foster mutual understanding between East and West, including the Arab world.
The winners of the 19th edition, along with the Cultural Personality of the Year, will be honoured at a prestigious ceremony on April 28, organised by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), in parallel with the 34th Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF).
This year’s edition saw a record-breaking number of submissions, receiving over 4,000 applications from 75 countries, including 20 Arab nations. Notably, five countries joined the award for the first time: Albania, Bolivia, Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago and Mali—further reinforcing the award’s growing global reach.
Widely recognised as one of the most prestigious independent literary and academic awards, the Sheikh Zayed Book Award continues to celebrate excellence in literature, intellectual thought, and scholarship across cultures—contributing significantly to the enrichment of the global cultural landscape. The Award also plays a vital role in advancing the publishing and translation movement, while honouring distinguished authors, researchers, thinkers, and publishers for their contributions to authorship, academic inquiry, and cross-cultural exchange.
