The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC) concluded its  meeting of the Higher Committee for the first edition of the Sard Al Thahab Award, to discuss and review the recommendations of the judging panels in preparation for the shortlisting stage. The Sard Al Thahab Award recognises the work of narrators locally and across the Arab world who specialise in biographies, literature, and folk narratives.

The Award’s Higher Committee is headed by His Excellency Abdullah Majid Al Ali, Director General of the National Library and Archives, and brings together Bahraini academic and critic Dr. Dheya Al Kaabi; Egyptian author Dr. Miral al-Tahawy; Emirati director, writer, and producer Nasser Al Dhaheri; and Dr. Saïd Yaktine, Moroccan narratologist and critic. Dr. Khalil Al Sheikh, a researcher, scholar, and literary critic, serves as the Committee’s rapporteur.

HE Al Ali said: “Having reviewed and evaluated the list of works recommended by the judges for the inaugural Sard Al Thahab Award, it is clear that narration has growing popularity and influence at BOTH  local and global levels. These works enrich Arab libraries with remarkable stories that reflect our past, embody our heritage and examine the development of societies. The Award will allow us to celebrate Arab talents in this field and promote their work on a wider scale.”

Across all categories, the Award has seen participation from around the world, receiving over 983 nominations from 22 countries for this first edition.

The Sard Al Thahab Award draws its name from the poetry of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Founding Father of the UAE, and offers a total prize pool of AED 2 million.