The Sheikh Zayed Book Award (SZBA), organised by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), announced the longlists for its 2024-2025 edition in the Literature, Young Author, Children’s Literature, and Editing of Arabic Manuscripts categories, with submissions currently under review and evaluation by the award’s judging committees.

In its 19^th edition, the award received more than 4,000 nominations from 75 countries, including 20 Arab nations and 55 from around the world. Among these, five countries are participating for the first time: Albania, Bolivia, Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago, and Mali, underscoring the award’s global prominence.

Literature category

The longlist for the Literature category includes 12 titles from seven countries: Tunisia, Egypt, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Kuwait, and Sudan. The longlisted titles are:

1. ‘I Speak Your Name, As a Violin’ by Ahmed Elshahawy from Egypt, published by Dar Al Masriah Al Lubnaniah in 2024.
2. ‘The Sphinx’ by Ahmed Mourad from Egypt, published by Dar El Shorouk in 2023.
3. ‘The Age of Damiana’ by Ossama Abdelraof Elshazly from Egypt, published by Al Rewaq Publishing in 2024.
4. ‘Lisan Al-Din Ibn Al-Khatib: The Man with Two Graves or Granada’s Autumn’ by El Bachir Damoun from Morocco, published by Bab Alhikma Publications in 2023.
5. ‘The Pashador’ by Hassane Aourid from Morocco, published by Markaz Kitab in 2024.
6. ‘The Ruins… The Mountain Ruin’ by Khaled Alnamazi from Saudi Arabia, published by United Tkween Group in 2024.
7. ‘Then I Turned to the Shadow’ by Rawda Elhaj from Sudan, published by Rashm Publishing and Distribution in 2023.
8. ‘Travels of the City of Clay Trilogy’ by Saud Alsanousi from Kuwait, published by Dar Kalimat Publishing & Distribution - Moulaph in 2023.
9. ‘Ibn Yamma: An Andalusian Myth’ by Tarek Chibani from Tunisia, published by Khraief Edition in 2024.
10. ‘Dr. Nazel’ by Taleb Alrefai from Kuwait, published by That Al Salasil in 2023.
11. ‘Hind or the Most Beautiful Woman in the World’ by Hoda Barakat from Lebanon/France, published by Dar Aladab in 2024.
12. ‘The Man Followed by Crows’ by Yousef Almohaimeed from Saudi Arabia, published by Elain Publishing in 2023.

Young Author category

The longlist for the Young Author category features 12 titles from seven countries: Mali, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Morocco, Syria, Iraq, and the United Arab Emirates. The titles are as follows:

1. ‘Fashion: Between the Dynamics of Subversion and Performance Spaces’ by Alaa Alsaadi from Iraq, published by Arab Scientific Publishers, Inc in 2024.
2. ‘Stylistic Orientations Across Narratives: Analyzing Al Tabrizi’s Interpretation of Abu Tammam’s Diwan’ by Azouber Abdallah Abdoulkader Alansary from Mali, published by Malamih Publishing & Distribution in 2022.
3. ‘Epistemology of Religious Belief and Ethics’ by Dr. El Mehdi Moustakim from Morocco, published by Estefham Publishing & Distribution in 2024.
4. ‘Now, My Life Begins’ by Somar Shhadah from Syria, published by Alkarama Books in 2024.
5. ‘Framed Narrative in the Saudi Novel’ by Shabaan Mohammed Yehya Alnijadi from Saudi Arabia, published by Adab Publishing & Distribution in 2023.
6. ‘Rab’ Al Ruzz’ by Shaimaa Ghunaim from Egypt, published by Elain Publishing in 2024.
7. ‘The Novel and Boundaries: From Cultural Polarity to Cultural Space’ by Abderazzak Mesbahi from Morocco, published by Modern Alrihab Institution in 2024.
8. ‘Critiquing Alternative Medicine: Logical Fallacies in Health Discourse’ by Dr. Omar Alhammadi from the UAE, published by Takween Publishing in 2023.
9. ‘The Poetics of Values in Classical Arabic Biography: Antarah ibn Shaddad Biography’ by Dr. Fatiha Gholam from Morocco, published by Afaq Institution in 2022.
10. ‘Al Zarayib’ by Mohamed Sawy from Egypt, published by Bait Elyasmin in 2024.
11. ‘The Judge’s House: The Journey of Qasim ibn Yunus’ by Mahmoud Adel Taha from Egypt, published by Bait Elyasmin in 2023.
12. ‘Rhetoric in Philosophical Discourse: Analytical Examples of Mohammed Abed Al Jabri’s Work’ by Dr. Mounir Bourd from Morocco, published by Kunouz Al-Ma’refa Publishing and Distribution in 2023.

Children’s Literature category

Longlisted works for the Children’s Literature category include 13 titles from seven countries: The UAE, Lebanon, Egypt, Morocco, Qatar, Jordan, and Algeria. The titles are:

1. ‘The White Demon’ by Ahmed Korani from Egypt, published by Dar Shan Publishing & Distribution in 2024.
2. ‘Farida’ by Ahmed Elabbasy from Egypt, published by Asala Publishers in 2023.
3. ‘Threads that Bind Us’ by Eman Alyousuf from the UAE, published by Al Hudhud Publishing and Distribution in 2024.
4. ‘Princess of the Nile’ by Eiwan Zoheir from Egypt, published by Nahdet Misr Publishing in 2022.
5. ‘To You, My Beloved Teacher’ by Hessa Juaan Almazrouei from the UAE, published by Dar Ashjar Publishing & Distribution in 2024.
6. ‘Scraps’ by Rahima Belfar from Algeria, published by Orjouha Publishing & Distribution in 2023.
7. ‘Juha and the Genie in the Jug, Fushan’ by Samar Mahfouz Baraj from Lebanon, published by Kiwi Stories in 2023.
8. ‘You’re Not a Cat, Mabhour’ by Shaikha Alzeyara from Qatar, published by Hzaya Library in 2023.
9. ‘Maymouna and Her Crazy Ideas’ by Shireen Sabanegh from Jordan, published by Hachette Antoine/Nofal in 2023.
10. ‘The Phantom of Sabiba’ by Latifa Labsir from Morocco, published by Markaz Kitab in 2024.
11. ‘Queen of Balloons’ by Lina Qtaishat from Jordan, published by Taghyeer Organization - We Love Reading Program in 2023.
12. ‘My Father, the Great Canary’ by Maryam Alzarooni from the UAE, published by Al Hudhud Publishing and Distribution in 2023.
13. ‘The Digital Fox’ by Hegra Elsawi from Egypt, published by Dar Shan Publishing & Distribution in 2024.

Editing of Arabic Manuscripts category

The longlist for the Editing of Arabic Manuscripts category includes 13 titles from seven countries: Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, and Iraq. It features the following works:

1. ‘The Comprehensive Book on the Knowledge of Precious Stones’ by Prof. Dr. Tarek Nazel from Egypt, published by the General Egyptian Book Organization in 2022.
2. ‘The Diwan of Ibn al-Mustawfi al-Irbili’ by Dr. Abdelrazek Hewizy from Egypt, published by The Egyptian National Library and Archives in 2021.
3. ‘Alkawakib Alsayaara fi Tartib Alziyara’ by Dr. Ahmed Gomaa Abdelhamid from Egypt, published by the Institut Français d’Archéologie Orientale in 2024.
4. ‘Sara’ir Al-Arabiyyah fi Sharh Al-Wafiya Al-Hajibiyah’ by Mostafa Mahmoud Abusaoud from Egypt, published by Alkhairya Library in 2023.
5. ‘Gems of News and Delights of Poetry’ by Noha Abdelraziq Alhefnawy from Egypt, published by Beirut Orient-Institut in 2024.
6. ‘Nuzhat Al’absar Wal’asmae fi ’Akhbar Thawat Alqinae’ by Dr. Fredj Lahouar from Tunisia, published by Mediterranean Publisher in 2024.
7. ‘Interpretations of the Seven Mu’allaqat Poems’ by Dr. Mohammad Alayed from Saudi Arabia, published by Alkhizana Alandalusia in 2023.
8. ‘News of Women by Rasheed Alkhayoun from Iraq/United Kingdom, published by King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies in 2024.
9. ‘Interpretation of the Mu’allaqat Poems’ by Saleh Aljassar from Saudi Arabia, published by Alkhizana Alandalusia - Al-Khanji Library in Cairo in 2024.
10. ‘The Animal Trilogy: Descriptions and Insights’ by Dr. Fatma Lakhdar from Tunisia, published by AlAtrash Complex for Specialised Books in 2024.
11. ‘The Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) Campaigns’ by Mohamed Tabarani from Morocco, published by Bachir Benatia Publications in 2023.
12. ‘Dictionary of Women’ by Gharid El Cheikh Mohamad from Lebanon, published by El Nokhba Publishers in 2024.
13. ‘Introduction to the Cinematic Thesaurus in the Arabic Language’ by Nagy Fawzy from Egypt, published by the General Egyptian Book Organization in 2023.

The Sheikh Zayed Book Award will announce the longlists for its other categories over the coming weeks.

The Sheikh Zayed Book Award is one of the most prestigious international accolades celebrating outstanding creative and literary works. The Award honours cultural figures, publishers, authors, creatives, and youth in the fields such as literature, humanities, arts, Arabic language, manuscripts, and more. Dedicated to promoting the transformative power of culture, the award plays a pivotal role in shaping the global cultural landscape and builds cultural bridges between civilisations fostering constructive dialogue, peace, and coexistence on a global scale.