Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region, the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC) has announced the winners of the second edition of Sard Al Thahab Award, granting six prizes: Unpublished Stories Award to the Iraqi author Yas AlFahdawi; Published Stories Award to the Sudanese author Abdulrahman Abbas; Popular Narratives Award to Dr Dheya Abdulla Khamis AlKaabi from Bahrain; Illustrated Story Award to the Iraqi artist Mahmood Shubbar; Narrators Award to Obaid bin Sandal from the UAE; and Emirati Narration Award to the academic and researcher Roy Casagranda.
The Award honours narrators of folk tales, literature and cultural narratives in the UAE and across the Arab World, enriches the field of Arab storytelling that draws inspiration from local values, customs, and heritage, and highlights Emirati folk storytelling and narrative arts, and the inspiring works in this field.
The Sard Al Thahab 2024 Award received 1,213 submissions across six categories from 34 countries, including 19 Arab nations, marking a 23% growth in participation compared to the first edition in 2023, which received 983 submissions.
His Excellency Saood Abdulaziz Al Hosani, Undersecretary of the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi, said: "The Sard Al Thahab Award underscores the cherished position that narratives, folk storytelling, and legends occupy in our collective consciousness. This year the Award received submissions of impressive quality and scope, highlighting its growing regional presence and importance. By celebrating creative and heritage-related works and supporting their authors, the Award supports Abu Dhabi’s cultural vision to preserve our history and traditions and ensure this legacy is passed down to future generations".
His Excellency Dr Ali bin Tamim, Chairman of the ALC, said: "The level of engagement we have seen with the Sard Al Thahab Award reflects the unique position of storytelling and narrative arts in Arab culture. It highlights the interest among those working in the field to have a platform that supports their creations and pass them down to new generations, who will then add their own innovations. The Award is a key ALC initiative which supports our mission to advance the Arabic language and contribute to building a thriving cultural ecosystem".
Ali Obaid Al Hameli, Chair of the Sard Al Thahab Award’s Higher Committee, added: "Folk narratives serve as a reservoir of the cultural and historical traditions which are deeply rooted among all generations. This year’s Sard Al Thahab Award attracted the finest works in the fields of folk storytelling, folk tales, and illustrated stories, and the Award’s Higher Committee selected the winners amidst intense competition. The winners were selected based on high standards of integrity, sincerity, competitiveness, and transparency. The committee ensured that the winning entries aligned with the Award’s objectives and the authenticity of folk narrative arts in their various forms".
The story "Rooms with People Running Underneath Them" by Iraqi author Yas AlFahdawi won the first place in the Short Story category for Unpublished Stories, in recognition of the way it approached contemporary issues with a sophisticated narrative style, free of excessiveness or directness, and by employing narrative techniques to structure the art of storytelling. The author uses the "rooms" technique, where each room unveils a new and intriguing theme. The story’s refined style allows it to reach artistic peaks through satirical critical perspectives, poetic language, symbolism, and captivating fantasy.
In the Short Story category for Published Stories, "The Last Storyteller in This Time" by Sudanese author Abdulrahman Abbas, published in 2023 by Rwafead Publishing and Distribution, won the first place, in recognition of its depth, originality, and skilful experimentation. With a moving and astonishing style, the author masterfully employed folk tales and imagination to craft text, embellishing them with existential questions and philosophical reflection. Abbas draws inspiration from a diverse heritage of legends and uses fantasy to explore profound human and universal questions about life, death, loss, grief, and human destiny. The author weaves a fantastical world with a transparent, mystical, symbolic language, creating a rich, multi-layered text.
The book "Bahraini Folk Tales: One Thousand and One Tales" by Dr Dheya Abdulla Khamis AlKaabi from Bahrain, published by the Arab Institute for Research & Publishing, won the first place in the Popular Narratives category. It stands out for its apt documentation of Bahrain’s collective memory and for compiling an extensive collection of folk tales presented for the first time. Substantial academic research and fieldwork went into the book, preserving the diversity of the narrators’ dialects, meticulously editing words and explaining the vocabulary.
In the Illustrated Story category, "Antara and Abla" by Iraqi artist Mahmood Shubbar won the first place. The artwork, rooted in contemporary artistic practices, evokes the spirit of heritage and Islamic miniatures, drawing inspiration from the iconic characters of Antara and Abla, and emulating the art of numbering and miniatures found in Al Hariri’s Maqamat collection. The art piece was moulded in a modern form that bridges tradition and modernity, embedding art into everyday life. The work also integrates the satirical essence of modern pop art to communicate its profound and timely messages in a captivating and innovative manner.
Obeid bin Sandal from the UAE won the first place in the Narrators category, in recognition of his role as one of the country’s most prominent storytellers, and his pioneering contributions to the cultural movement, particularly through his early engagement in researching and documenting various aspects of folk heritage. His extensive body of work has enriched Arab libraries with publications that guide researchers and readers in various fields, including folktales, traditional games, songs, riddles, proverbs, poetry, and oral traditions. Obeid bin Sandal was also recognised for his significant contributions to Emirati theatre as a writer, director, and actor, which have infused theatrical works with folk heritage treasures. He also played a vital role in mentoring young talents and fostering new generations of creatives and researchers throughout his long and ongoing career.
In the Emirati Narration category, academic and researcher Roy Casagranda from the United States won the first place for his efforts in highlighting the values of intercultural exchange and dialogue. His works explore the transfer of knowledge from Arab civilisation to other cultures. His writings, lectures, and research projects align with the values promoted by the Sard Al Thahab Award, such as tolerance and coexistence among religions, nations and peoples to build a shared human civilisation, free of biased or unscientific perspectives.
A special awards ceremony is scheduled to take place at Al Dhafra Fort in December to honour the winners of this year’s edition of the Award, which celebrates the rich tradition of narration in the Arabic language and the enduring presence of folktales and legends as integral components of Arab heritage, culture, and thought. The Award aims to showcase these traditions and promote its research and expression in contemporary culture.
