The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC) has unveiled the shortlists for the second edition of the Sard Al Thahab Award. A total of 15 works from eight countries have been selected to compete across four categories: "Short Story for Published Stories", "Popular Narratives", "Short Story for Unpublished Stories", and "Illustrated Story".

In addition to these, the Centre will announce the winners in the "Narrators" and "Emirati Narration" categories, along with the winners in the four categories, over the coming months.

The shortlist features works from the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Iraq, Sudan, Syria, Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia. The increase in the number of participating countries highlights the Award's rapid expansion and its capacity to attract creative talents across its six categories.

The shortlist for the "Short Story for Published Stories" category is: "The Two Sisters" by Ali Al Abdan from the UAE, published in 2023 by the Emirates Writers Union, "The Last Storyteller in This Time" by Abdulrahman Abbas from Sudan, published in 2023 by Rwafead Publishing & Distribution, and "The Green Dragon’s Wife and Other Colourful Tales" by Rawaa Sunbol from Syria, published in 2019 by Alaan Publishers & Distributors.

The shortlist for the "Popular Narratives" category features: "Bahraini Folktales: One Thousand and One Tales" by Dr Dheya Abdulla Khamis Al Kaabi from Bahrain, published in 2018 by the Arab Institute for Research & Publishing, "Encyclopedia of Folktales: One Thousand and Eighty Tales from Northern Upper Egypt" by Dr Sayed Fares from Egypt, published in 2023 by the Sharjah Institute for Heritage, and "The Hidden Heritage: The Sumerian Legend and the Gulf Novel of the Al-Sirah al-Hilaliyyah" by Fathy Abdelsamie from Egypt, published in 2024 by Dar Waad for Publishing and Distribution.

The shortlist for the "Short Story for Unpublished Stories" category has five entries: "Rooms with People Running Underneath Them" by the Iraqi writer Yas AlFahdawi, "Biography of a Creature" by the Moroccan writer Said Alfellak, "Suspended Souls" by the Egyptian writer AbdelHady Ibrahim, "Judeilah Weather" by the Egyptian writer Aida Deraman, and "Al Hashashat" by the Tunisian writer Nasr Sami.

The shortlist for the "Illustrated Story" category has four works: a documentary film titled "Tifan" by Aaesha Alteneiji from the UAE, a photograph titled "Grandma’s Stories" by Nuwair Alhajeri from the UAE, a photograph titled "Wife’s Loyalty" by Issa Mohamed from Bahrain, and a drawing titled "Antara and Abla" by Mahmood Shubbar from Iraq.

The jury selected the nominated works based on their alignment with the Award's standards and objectives, reinforcing the Award's commitment to excellence and fostering creativity in the literary field.

The Sard Al Thahab Award is an annual initiative launched by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC). Its objectives are inspired by the poetry of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Father of the Nation. The Award aims to serve as a platform that merges creativity with intellectual thought, fostering an artistic movement that draws upon Sheikh Zayed’s creative legacy as a foundation for new forms of creativity.

The Award aims to promote the art of Arabic storytelling across the Arab World and was established in recognition of the rich traditions of storytelling in the Arabic language. This includes the enduring presence of folk tales and myths, which are integral to Arab heritage, culture, and intellectual thought. The Award seeks to highlight this tradition and support its study and expression within contemporary culture.