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Cultural Personality of the Year 2025

Haruki Murakami

Japan

Haruki Murakami is a world-renowned Japanese author whose works have been translated into numerous languages and have a vast worldwide readership. He was born in Kyoto in 1949 and studied drama in Tokyo. His writing is influenced by both Japanese and Western literature, with evident inspiration from international authors like Franz Kafka and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Murakami is celebrated for his distinctive narrative style, blending magical realism with universal elements, making him a truly global author. His notable works include ‘Norwegian Wood’, ‘Kafka on the Shore’, and ‘Scheherazade’.

About the Cultural Personality of the Year

The 19th edition of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award honoured renowned Japanese author Haruki Murakami as the Cultural Personality of the Year, in recognition of his creative career and widespread literary influence, unbound by borders, impacting both Arab and Western cultures. His works are widely read and translated around the world, reflecting literature’s ability to bring differing cultures closer together.

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