The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC(, continues to receive submissions for the third edition of the Kanz Al Jeel Award until 31 May 2024, to provide creative individuals with the opportunity to showcase their creative works.
H.E. Dr. Ali bin Tamim, Chairman of the ALC, said: “The Kanz Al Jeel Award has become a notable and prestigious milestone in the cultural and literary sphere at the regional level, due to its ability to attract high-quality submissions from literature enthusiasts and writers with creative projects that elevate the stature of this authentic literary genre.”
“We aim for the Award to continue as a catalyst for creativity in the field of poetry and literature, as well as a platform that aligns with the Centre’s strategic objectives to promote the Arabic language and strengthen its significance,” H.E. bin Tamim added. “Furthermore, we aspire for it to serve as a notable cultural event that highlights the beauty and excellence of Poetry Matching, and its essential role in enriching the intellectual and cultural movement with its authentic content and values.”
The ALC launched the Kanz Al Jeel Award to acknowledge unique poetic compositions, folklore research, and studies into Nabati poetry; it is given to researchers and artists who have presented works that focus on the heritage associated with Nabati poetry and its authentic values. The Award’s name is inspired by a poem of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Founding Father of the UAE, and it aims to promote poetry and its role as a mirror of society and an embodiment of Emirati and Arab creativity. Further details on the Award’s conditions and submission procedures is available on the website or by reaching out to the Award’s committee at Email.
The Kanz Al Jeel Award has quickly established itself as a prominent player in the cultural scene, serving as a distinguished cultural platform eagerly awaited by Nabati poets, folklore researchers, translators, and artists looking to showcase their literary and academic contributions towards reviving this rich and diverse facet of Emirati cultural heritage. The award features six categories: Poetry Matching, Arts, Studies and Research, Poetic Publications, Translation, and Creative Personality.
The conditions for participating in the Award, which offers a total prize pool of AED 1.5 million, are designed to enhance competitiveness. A set of strict criteria and standards are used to evaluate submitted entries and studies, in a bid to ensure fairness and credibility. Under these, the nomination of candidates for the Creative Personality category is done through academic, research, or cultural institutions, or by the Award’s Higher Committee. Nomination for the remaining five categories is open to individual creators, literary and cultural institutions, universities, and publishing houses.
Candidates must have actively contributed to enriching and developing the local and Arab poetic, critical, or artistic movements. Submitted works must demonstrate a high degree of authenticity and innovation, representing a significant addition to human culture and knowledge. Additionally, submitted works must have an International Standard Book Number (ISBN) to protect intellectual property rights.
One work may be submitted for one Award category, and entries should not have participated in any other competition or received another award in the same year. Winners of the Kanz Al Jeel Award can apply for the award again five years after winning. Works must be written in Arabic, except for the Translation, Studies and Research, and Creative Personality categories. The Kanz Al Jeel Award reserves the right to publish submitted works.
Artists are invited to submit their works in the Arts category, as per the artform selected by the Higher Committee for each edition. For this year’s edition, the selected artform is Arabic calligraphy. Participating artists are required to create their works using verses from the poem ‘Ya Tha al-Shabab Ili Ghatarif’ (يا ذا الشباب الي غِطاريف) by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and styling them as Arabic calligraphy. Meanwhile, the Poetry Matching award is given to one poem that excels in matching that same poem.
The Creative Personality award is presented to individuals or institutions that have made notable and effective creative contributions to Nabati poetry and studies, as well as in the fields of music, singing, drawing, and Arabic calligraphy.
In the Arts category, the award granted to an artwork that uses visual tools to interpret and embody Sheikh Zayed’s poetry and Nabati poetry, including Arabic calligraphy or abstract arts, while the Studies and Research category is awarded to published studies on Nabati poetry that employ a scientific approach to study its methods, content, and lexicon.
Poetic Publications is presented to a Nabati poetry collection that embodies authenticity in form and content, while the final category, Translation, honours efforts to translate the late Sheikh Zayed’s poetry into other languages or works that constituted significant contributions towards translating Arabic poetry into other languages.
