Sheikh Zayed Book Award receives over 700 nominations for its next edition

Abbas Beydoun discusses The Autumn of Innocence at the 2017 Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. Mona Al Marzooqi / The National

The Sheikh Zayed Book Award has begun receiving submission as part of its upcoming 12th edition.

Over 700 entries has been received since the competition officially opened in May, with the Young Author and Literature categories receiving 29 per cent of entries each.

Other categories that received submissions include the Best Contribution to the Development of Nations, Literary and Art Criticism and Children’s Literature with 11 per cent each.

Nominations spanned the Arab world and was led by the literature power house Egypt with 31 per cent of all nominations.

Entries were also sent internationally from countries including Australia, Denmark, Sweden, Austria, Poland, France and Canada.

The nominations close on October 1 with applications available online. Nominated works are to be published with the last two years and written in Arabic, with the exception for either the Translation or Arabic Culture in Other Languages categories.

Running as part of the Abu Dhabi Book Fair, running from April 25 to May 1 next year, the Sheikh Zayed Book Award is one of the most prestigious literary events in the region.

With cash prizes totalling up to Dh7 million, winners of all eight categories receive Dh750,000 each.

Earlier this year, veteran Lebanese author and poet Abbas Beydoun won the literature category The Autumn of Innocence while the Moroccan historian Abdallah Laroui was hailed as the Cultural Personality of the Year.

For details and to enter the award go to www.zayedaward.ae