The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), part of the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), has welcomed five new distinguished cultural and intellectual figures to the Higher Committee of the Sard Al Thahab Award in the lead-up to its third edition.
The decision reflects the Centre’s ongoing commitment to developing the narrative arts scene locally and across the Arab world, while cementing the Award’s position as a leading platform that celebrates storytelling and folk narrative arts and supports studies and visual productions related to Arab and Emirati cultural heritage.
This year, the Higher Committee will be chaired by His Excellency Abdulla Majed Al Ali, Director-General of the National Library and Archives, a prominent figure who has played a clear role in shaping the local cultural landscape. Committee members include Emirati researcher and artist Ali Al Abdan Al Shamsi, Director of the Artistic Heritage Department at the Sharjah Institute for Heritage; Syrian writer and novelist Taissier Khalaf, known for his extensive work documenting folk tales and narrative fiction; Saudi researcher Dr Asma Muqbel Al-Ahmadi, specialist in criticism and narratology; and Moroccan scholar Dr Najima Tai Tai Ghazali, expert in intangible heritage and oral narratives.
"With its symbolic cultural value and focus on authentic Arab storytelling, the Sard Al Thahab Award reflects the central role that the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre plays in elevating narrative arts and documenting intangible heritage", said HE Abdulla Majed Al Ali. "The Award has introduced initiatives designed to position storytelling as a core pillar of cultural identity and a powerful means to preserve collective memory, in line with a broader cultural vision inspired by authentic Emirati values, and with the UAE’s national agenda, which strives to develop the Emirati cultural and creative landscape and empower national talent to play their part in actively shaping the Arab narrative movement".
"The new line-up of the Award’s Higher Committee embodies the Centre’s commitment to engaging distinguished intellectual and critical figures", HE added. "This, in turn, facilitates the implementation of the highest standards of evaluation and transparency, strengthening the Award’s role as an engine for Arab narrative arts and a dynamic platform for empowering creators, supporting storytellers, and expanding the scope of narrative and visual expression in a way that enriches the cultural movements in the UAE and the Arab world".
The Higher Committee of the Sard Al Thahab brings together experts in literature, heritage, criticism, and visual storytelling. It oversees the Award and sets its general strategic direction, based on fair and effective governance standards, which enhances its role in preserving Emirati and Arab folk storytelling traditions, establishing a connection with younger generations through creativity, research, and analysis, while also supporting new talents and shedding light on modern and visual narratives.
These objectives align with the ALC’s strategic mission to safeguard intangible heritage, establish an environment that supports narrative creativity in all its forms, and bridge the gap between memory and modernity, echoing Abu Dhabi’s broader role in fostering cultural exchange and advancing Arabic as a language of art, science, and knowledge.
The Award had announced that nominations for its third edition are open until 30 June 2025, as part of its efforts to celebrate narrative creativity across its six categories: Emirati Narration, Narrators, Short Story for Unpublished Stories, Short Story for Published Stories, Illustrated Story, and Popular Narratives.
The Sard Al Thahab Award draws inspiration from the legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Founding Father of the UAE, and aims to strengthen the presence of storytelling in the Arab cultural consciousness. It has seen remarkable growth in engagement and participation since its launch in 2023, where its second edition recorded a 23% increase in submissions compared to the first, reflecting the cultural and creative community’s growing trust in the Award’s credibility and ability to support contemporary Arabic storytelling in its artistic and intellectual dimensions.
The Award celebrates all forms of storytelling, from traditional folk narratives to visual storytelling, which serves to foster intergenerational creative dialogue and strengthen cultural identity through literary and visual works that document the human experience in the UAE and the wider Arab world, ultimately elevating oral tradition as a rich cultural and human legacy.
