18th Edition of Sheikh Zayed Book Award Announces Longlists for Translation, Literary and Art Criticism, and Development of Nations Categories

The Sheikh Zayed Book Award (SZBA) at the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC) has announced the longlists for key categories including the Translation, Literary, Art Criticism and Contribution to the Development of Nations categories for its 18th edition. The lists were announced as the judging committees began the evaluation of all longlisted entries.

In this current 18th edition, the Sheikh Zayed Book Award received the highest number of submissions in its history, with 4,240 nominations submitted from 74 countries, including 19 Arab nations and 55 other countries around the world. The Young Author category received the largest number of nominations followed by Literature and Children’s Literature respectively. The rankings continue with the Literary and Art Criticism category, followed by Contribution to the Development of Nations and Translation.

Longlist for the Translation category
The longlist for the Translation category includes 11 titles from seven Arab countries: Oman, Kuwait, Iraq, Tunisia, Egypt, Morocco, and Libya. These longlisted works were translated into Arabic from four languages, namely English, French, German, and Italian. 

Longlisted works in the Translation category are:

1. ‘Fi Suhbat al-Waii Mawsu’at Blackwell aan al-Waii’ (The Blackwell Companion to Consciousness), authored by Susan Schneider and Max Velmans, translated from English to Arabic by Dr. Mustafa Sameer Abdulraheem from Iraq, published by Al Rawafed Culture Publishers and Ibn al-Nadim Publishing and Distribution, in 2022.
2. ‘Al-Aalam Iradatan wa-Tamathulan’ (Die Welt als Wille und Vorstellung – The World: Will and Imagination), authored by Arthur Schopenhauer, translated from German to Arabic by Said Tawfik from Egypt, published by ‏Dar Al Kitab Al Jadeed, in 2023.
3. ‘Daleel Cambridge fi Tareekh al-Falsafa al-Arabiya’ (The Cambridge Companion to Arabic Philosophy), authored by Peter Adamson and Richard C. Taylor, translated from English to Arabic by Ashraf Mansour from Egypt, published by Mominoun Without Borders Publishing and Distribution, in 2023.
4. ‘Al-Ilm wal-Waii’ (Science Avec Conscience – Science with Conscience), authored by Edgar Morin, translated from French to Arabic by Izzeddine Khatiabi from Morocco, published by Arab Organization for Translation, in 2023.
5. ‘Limatha Naqraa’ al-Adab al-Classiki?’ (Perché Leggere I Classici – Why Do We Read Classic Literature?), authored by Italo Calvino, translated from Italian to Arabic by Dalal Naserallah from Kuwait, published by Al Mada for Media, Culture, and Arts, in 2021.
6. ‘Al-Nathra an-Namatiya ila al-Hayat – Ru’ya Muwahada’ (The Systems View of Life: A Unifying Vision), authored by Fritjof Capra and Pier Luigi Luisi, translated from English to Arabic by Mamon Alzaidy from Libya, published by Ninawa Studies Publishing & Distribution, in 2023.
7. ‘Al-Jasad fi al-Ghazal al-Uthri’ (The Body in Arabic Love Poetry), authored by Jokha Alharthi, translated from English to Arabic by Zuwaina Al Tuwiya from Oman, published by Kalimat Group, in 2023.
8. ‘Al-Ilm al-Jadeed’ (La Scienza Nuova – The New Science), authored by Giambattista Vico, translated from Italian to Arabic by Dr. Ahmed Somai from Tunisia, published by Adab Publishing and Distribution, in 2022.
9. ‘Ma Waraa’ al-Gharb: Min Ajl Tafkeer Kawni Jadeed’ (Jenseits des Westens: Für ein Neues Kosmopolitisches Denken – Beyond the West: For a New Cosmopolitan Thought), authored by Stefan Weidner, translated from German to Arabic by Hamid Lechhab from Morocco, published by Mominoun Without Borders Publishing and Distribution, in 2023.
10. ‘Dihk an-Nisaa’: Qissat Sulta’ (Le Rire des Femmes: Une Histoire de Pouvoir – Women’s Laughter: A Story of Power), authored by Sabine Melchior-Bonnet, translated from French to Arabic by Jalal Elati-Rabbi from Morocco, published by Jadal Publishing, in 2022.
11. ‘Nathariyat al-Ta’addub: Baad al-Kulliyat fi Isti’mal al-Lugha’ (Politeness: Some Universals in Language Usage), authored by Penelope Brown and Stephen C. Levinson, translated from English to Arabic by Hisham Ibrahim Abdullah Alkhalifa from Iraq, published by Kunouz Al-Ma’refa Publishing and Distribution House, in 2023.

Longlist for the Literary and Art Criticism category
The longlist for the Literary and Art Criticism category consisted of 11 titles from six Arab countries – Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Lebanon, Egypt, Morocco and Algeria. The longlist included the following:

1. ‘Tareekh al-Ghinaa’ al-Shaabi min al-Mawal ila ar-Rap’ (History of the Folk Song from Mawal to Rap), by Dr. Yasser Thabet from Egypt, published by Dar Dawen Publishing and Distribution, in 2023. 
2. ‘Adonis fi al-Ibdaa wal-Tatheer al-Shi’ri’ (Adonis in Creative and Poetic Theorisation), by Dr. Hassane Al Ghorfi from Morocco, published by Dar Khotot W Thelal Publishing and Distribution, in 2023. 
3. ‘Falsafat al-Lugha wa-Su’al al-Meana: Bahth fi Simya’iyat al-Istiaara al-Fanniya’ (The Philosophy of Language and the Quest for Meaning: An Exploration of Metaphorical Artistic Semiotics), by Souad Hamadache from Algeria, published by Kunouz Al-Ma’refa Publishing and Distribution House, in 2023.
4. ‘Zawaj al-Mubdi’een: Tharaa’ al-Mutakhayal wa-Faqr al-Waqeh’ (The Matrimony of Creators: Where Imagination Abounds and Reality Wanes), by Chawki Bzih from Lebanon, published by Masciliana Editions, in 2023.  
5. ‘Naqd an-Naqd al-Thaqafi: Ru’ya fi Musa’alat al-Mafaheem wal-Dabt al-Maarifi’ (Critiquing Cultural Critique: A Gaze into the Jurisdiction of Concepts and Cognitive Mastery), by Abduladheem Al-Sultani from Iraq, published by Dar Al-Rafidain, in 2021.
6. ‘Iaadat Binaa’ an-Nathariya an-Naqdiya min al-Manthoor al-Shaklani ila Maaqool al-Khitab’ (The Reconstruction of Critical Theory from a Formalist Perspective to a Rational Discourse), by Abdelfattah Ahmed Youssef from Egypt, published by Al Rawafed Culture Publishers and Ibn al-Nadim Publishing and Distribution, in 2023.
7. ‘Aanadil Hajariya’ (Stone Nightingales), by Adi Jaser Alherbish from Saudi Arabia, published by Sophia Publishing, in 2022.
8. ‘Kul Da Kan Leeh (Sardiya Naqdiya aan Al-Ughniya was-Sadara’ (Kol Dah Kan Leih: A Critical Narrative About Songs and Prominence), by Fayrouz Karawya from Egypt, published by Diwan Publishing, in 2022.
9. ‘Al-Insan fi Riaayat al-Kaynoona: Heidegger fi al-Mutanawal al-Falsafi al-Arabi’ (Humanity in the Care of Ontology: Heidegger in Arab Philosophical Discourse), by Mouchir Bassil Aoun from Lebanon, published by Philosophy House, in 2023.
10. ‘Banat Awa wal-Huroof al-Mafqooda: Aan al-Hayawanat al-Natiqa fi Lahathat al-Khatar’ (Jackals and Lost Letters: About Animals Speaking in Moments of Danger), by Haytham El Wardany from Egypt/Germany, published by Al Karma Books, in 2023.
11. ‘Kitab al-Masafat: Muqaraba Naqdiya fi Jadaliyat al-Qurb wal-Buud’ (The Book of Distances: A Critical Approach to the Dialectic of Proximity and Distance), by Yasin Al-Nasayyir from Iraq/Netherlands, published by Ninawa Studies Publishing & Distribution, in 2021.

Longlist for the Contribution to the Development of Nations category
The longlist for the Contribution to the Development of Nations category included nine titles from six Arab countries: the UAE, Lebanon, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, and Syria. The list consisted of the following works:

1. ‘Al-Asmaa’ al-Jughrafiya – Thakirat Ajyal’ (Geographical Names - Legacy of Generations), by Dr. Khalifa Alromaithi from the UAE, published by Austin Macauley Publishers, in 2022.  
2. ‘Ad-Deen fi al-Fikr al-Falsafi wal-Ijtimaii al-Hadeeth’ (Religion in Modern Philosophical and Social Thought), by Dr. Abdelilah Daal from Morocco, published by Al Maaref Forum, in 2022.
3. ‘Al-Madrasa wal-Thakaa’’ (School and Intelligence), by Dr. M’barek Rabi from Morocco, published by Al Madariss for Publishing and Distribution, in 2022.
4. ‘An-Naqlat al-Hadariya al-Kubra: Ayna Nahnu Minha?’ (Major Civilisational Leaps: Where Do We Stand?), by Dr. Mustapha Hijazi from Lebanon, published by Arab Cultural Centre, in 2023.
5. ‘Falsafat al-Amn: Nathariyat Epistemolojiya Tatbiqat Sociolojiya’ (The Philosophy of Security: Epistemological Theories and Sociological Applications), by Dr. Ramzi Mahouachi from Tunisia, published by Horizon Publishing, in 2023.
6. ‘Sikkat al-Tramway: Tareeq al-Hadatha Marra bi-Dimashq’ (Tramway Railway: The Path of Modernity Passed Through Damascus), by Sami Marwan Moubayed from Syria/UK, published by Riad El Rayyes Books, in 2022.
7. ‘Al-Mushtarak al-Ibrahimi wal-Hiwar al-Hadari’ (Abrahamic Commonality and Civilised Dialogue), by Salah Salem from Egypt, published by ElAin Publishing, in 2023.
8. ‘Al-Bayniya fi al-Academia al-Arabiya wal-Islamiya’ (Interdisciplinary Studies in Arabic and Islamic Academia), by Ali Alsalah Moula from Tunisia, published by Mominoun Without Borders Publishing and Distribution, in 2023.
9. ‘Al-Arabiya Lughat al-Aayn: Dirasa Dalaliya Uurfaniya’ (The Arabic Language: A Study of Cognitive Semantics), by Dr. Fatima Bakouch from Tunisia, published by Dar Meskeliani Editions, in 2023.

The Sheikh Zayed Book Award is presented to creative and notable literary works in various fields, including literature, humanities, arts, and the Arabic language. It aims to motivate translators to produce noteworthy literary works related to Arab culture and civilisation in different languages, in addition to honouring the most distinguished among them.