The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC) has closed the nominations stage for the third edition of the Kanz Al Jeel Award, which honours creative individuals and scholars who have presented works of Nabati poetry or folk studies focusing on its heritage and authentic values.

The Award draws its name from a poem by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Founding Father of the UAE. The third edition of the Award reported notable growth in the number of submissions received across its six categories, which totalled 601 nominations from 24 countries, including 19 Arab nations. This marks a growth of 128% compared to the 264 submissions received in the second edition, which asserts the Award’s growing popularity year after year.

Saudi Arabia topped the list of Arab countries with the most submissions, followed by Egypt, Oman, the UAE, Jordan, Morocco, Algeria, Iraq, and Syria. Among non-Arab countries, Turkey led the pack, followed by the Philippines, Bangladesh, and Iran.

The Reading Panel Committee concluded its meeting held to sort and evaluate submissions according to the Award’s standards and conditions, which was chaired by His Excellency Abdullah Majid Al Ali, Director General of the National Library and Archives, and attended by Dr Aisha Al Shamsi, Emirati academic, critic, and poet; Dr Mohammed Al Amrini, Vice President of the Saudi Scientific Society for the Arabic Language; and writer and researcher Mohammed Abu Zaid.

HE Al Ali stated that the third edition of the Kanz Al Jeel Award reported exceptional growth in the number of submissions compared to previous editions, especially from Gulf and Arab countries, most notably Saudi Arabia and Egypt. "The submissions received reflected the Arab world’s immense richness, and its wealth of creativity and distinguished literary works that deserve to be highlighted and honoured", he said. "This, in turn, underscores current generations’ deep connection to their Arab culture, as well as their commitment to preserving and developing their heritage, promoting it on a wider scale by producing outstanding and inspiring works that will remain etched in the Emirati and Arab collective memories".

"The Kanz Al Jeel Award has succeeded in sparking renewed interest in Nabati poetry, while honouring outstanding poetic works", HE Al Ali added. "The Award has also contributed to the dissemination of these works and spotlighted their authors, in line with its primary goal to highlight the poetry of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Founding Father of the UAE, celebrating its aesthetic aspects and the human values ingrained in the Emirati and Arab consciousness".

The Poetry Matching category received the highest number of submissions this year with 353 entries, accounting for 59% of the total. The Arts category came in second with 169 entries, or 28% of total nominations, followed by Poetic Publications with 37 entries, Studies and Research, Creative Personality, and then Translation.

The next step will see judging panels across all six categories of the Award begin their comprehensive evaluation process for all entries that were reviewed by the Reading Panel Committee, setting the stage for the evaluation stage.

The Kanz Al Jeel Award aims to support arts closely related to Nabati poetry and the Arabic language, strengthening their role as a cultural vehicle for poetry. It also aims to honour creative individuals, critics, and researchers, as well as to publish their works and introduce them to wider audiences. The Award strives to translate the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s poetry along with influential and inspiring Nabati poetry works, in line with the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre’s vision.