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Dubai / Emirates Business
The Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Literature has announced that it received 151 entries from 13 Arab Countries by the deadline for its eighth edition. Organised by the UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY) and sponsored by Etisalat Group, this year’s edition marks the highest rate of participation since the award’s inception in 2009, with the quality of submissions deemed to be the best standard to date.
The AED one million worth Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Literature is an initiative designed to elevate the calibre of Arabic children’s books by supporting and encouraging authors, illustrators and publishers to develop creative productions. The award was commenced in 2009 by Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Founder and Patron of the UAEBBY, with the full support of the Emirates Telecommunication Corporation (Etisalat Group). The management of the Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Literature revealed that 87 entries were received in its ‘Children’s Book of the Year’ category and 64 entries in its ‘Young Adults’ Book of the Year’ category, with the submissions coming from 53 Arab publishing houses in total.
Egypt topped the number of submitted entries by country with 60 titles in the two categories, while the UAE was ranked second with 27 entries. In third place was Lebanon with 25 titles and in fourth place were both Palestine and Jordan with 10 titles each. This was followed by Saudi Arabia with seven, Syria with four, Iraq with three and Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Oman and Qatar with one entry apiece.
“The eighth edition of the Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Literature has witnessed an incredible level of participation – the highest in the history of the award. Not only that, the standard of submissions is the best we have ever seen. This further inspires us and makes us more determined than ever to follow the vision of Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi to develop Arabic children’s books and provide support and motivation for creative writers and illustrators in the Arab world,†said Marwa Al Aqroubi, President of the UAEBBY Executive Board.
“Through the Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Literature we are committed to the publishing of quality titles with high literary, artistic and production standards, with the award’s goal being to support and encourage the Arabic children’s book industry. With this year’s entries being of the highest standard yet, competition for the awards will be particularly tough – we wish them all the best of luck,†she added.
In May this year, the Etisalat Award encouraged writers, illustrators and publishers of children and young adult Arabic books to submit their application forms to take part in its eighth edition, providing them with the eligibility criteria and the conditions that needed to be met. The winners will be announced during the opening ceremony of the 35th edition of Sharjah International Book Fair on November 2, 2016. The AED one million value of the Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Literature is shared between five winners in its Children’s Books and Young Adult Books categories.