Now in its landmark 20th year, the Sheikh Zayed Book Award has established itself as a global platform where publishing, academia, and cultural diplomacy converge. Over the last two decades, the Award has become a far-reaching cultural force, advancing international appreciation for Arab intellectual and creative achievement around the world.
Since its inception in 2006, the Award has received more than 33,000 submissions and honored 144 laureates from 26 countries. The Award has also supported the translation of 48 titles into 12 languages through its Translation Grant initiative, launched in 2018. Through its sustained commitment to translation, scholarship, and cross-border collaboration, the Award has played an influential role in expanding the reach of Arabic literature throughout the world.
This anniversary edition reflects the dynamic ecosystem the Award has cultivated, celebrating the work of authors, translators, publishers, and scholars on an international stage. With more than 4,000 submissions from 74 countries—including first-time entries from Chile, Iceland, and Luxembourg—the Award’s global resonance continues to grow. This year’s shortlist features 24 authors and institutions from 16 different countries, underscoring the Award’s expanding international scope and impact of Arab culture celebrated around the world.
“The Award continues to honor the past, engage the present, and inspire the future of Arabic literature and culture. We look forward to building on this legacy in the years ahead, further strengthening the Award’s role as a global platform for cultural dialogue and intellectual exchange,” said HE Dr Ali bin Tamim, Secretary-General of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre about the 20th anniversary.
Each winner of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award receives recognition in the international media, invitations to speak at regional and international book fairs and festivals, as well as a life-changing $204,220 (750,000 UAE dirhams). Past winners have highlighted how winning the Sheikh Zayed Book Award has helped support their important work in Arabic literature, history and culture, encouraged them to continue their research and study, and expanded the reach of their work to a global audience.
Tahera Qutbuddin, 2021 Sheikh Zayed Book Award in Arab Culture in Other Languages winner, said, “I’m delighted to have received the Sheikh Zayed Book Award for my book. It raises the visibility of the important genre of classical Arabic oration, which forms the foundation of the Arabic literary tradition, and it raises the visibility of my work among readers in the West as well as readers in the Arabic-speaking world.”
Marco di Branco who won the 2025 Sheikh Zayed Book Award in Translation for his English-language version of Orosius’s Seven Books Against the Pagans told Publishers Weekly he plans to use his prize money to facilitate his work on a comprehensive, interactive encyclopedia on the topic. “It will be a project that may take me the rest of my life and will be a pinnacle of my work.”
Speaking about winning the Award for Literature in 2021, Iman Mersal said: “The Sheikh Zayed Book Award is an extraordinary gift for writers and readers alike. It plays a singular role in the recognition of literary voices, both established and emerging, affirming the value of the arts in Arab culture and beyond. By encouraging the expression and sharing of diverse experiences, the Award promotes beauty, experimentation, and intercultural understanding.”
Haruki Murakami, 2025 Sheikh Zayed Book Award Cultural Personality of the Year, said, “I believe that stories are a universal language. It is my sincere hope that by sharing good stories, people can connect with each other and that this can become a force, even if only a small one, that moves the world towards peace.”
The Sheikh Zayed Book Award at the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, is an independent cultural initiative administered by Department of Culture and Tourism-Abu Dhabi. This year’s winners will be announced later this month.
More information can be found at zayedaward.ae.
