Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and in the presence of His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, His Highness Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Development and Fallen Heroes’ Affairs, honoured the winners of the 19th Sheikh Zayed Book Award (SZBA) in a special ceremony at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC).

In attendance were His Excellency Mohamed Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi; His Excellency Zaki Nusseibeh, Cultural Advisor to the President of the UAE and Chancellor of UAE University; His Excellency Saood Abdulaziz Al Hosani, Undersecretary at the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi; His Excellency Dr Ali bin Tamim, Secretary General of the Shiekh Zayed Book Award and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC).

His Highness Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan handed the award to winners across all categories, namely, Lebanese/French author Hoda Barakat in the Literature category; Moroccan writer Latifa Labsir in Children’s Literature; Italian translator Marco Di Branco in Translation; and researcher Dr Said Laouadi from Morocco in Literary and Art Criticism.

The list also included Emirati Prof Dr Mohammed Bechari in the Contribution to the Development of Nations category; UK researcher Andrew Peacock in Arab Culture in Other Languages; and researcher Rasheed Alkhayoun from Iraq/UK in Editing of Arabic Manuscripts.

His Highness Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan also honoured renowned Japanese author Haruki Murakami as the Cultural Personality of the Year, in recognition of his literary career that helped enrich the world’s libraries with unique novels and contributions, where his works are widely read and translated around the globe, reflecting literature’s ability to bring different cultures closer together.

The event was held on the sidelines of the 34th Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF 2025), which launched on 26 April and is scheduled to continue until 5 May 2025.

Organised by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), the 19th edition of the SZBA received a record-breaking number of submissions with more than 4,000 applications sent in from 75 countries, including 20 Arab nations. Five countries participated in the award for the first time this year, namely, Albania, Bolivia, Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago, and Mali.

These figures reflect the prestigious position the award has come to enjoy in the international cultural scene, highlighting its role in cementing the UAE’s status as a global intellectual and cultural centre, and a hub for creative thinkers and researchers from around the world.

The Sheikh Zayed Book Award is one of the most prominent literary and cultural prizes in the Arab world. Since its launch in 2006, the award has been celebrating outstanding achievements of thinkers and creators in Arabic, as well as other languages, honouring authors who enrich Arab culture with their notable works in fields of literature, human sciences, translation, publishing, and development.

The winner of the Cultural Personality of the Year award is presented with a gold medal, a certificate of appreciation, and a prize of AED 1 million, while winners in the other categories receive a prize of AED 750,000, along with a gold medal and certificate of appreciation, in a bid to support intellectual and creative output, strengthening sustainability in cultural activities in the Arab region and the world.