Sharjah Ruler Witnesses Launch of 8th Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Literature

H.H. Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, witnessed on Tuesday the launch of the 8th edition of the ‘Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Literature’ in London.

Also present at the launch was Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Founder and Honorary President of the UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY).

Organised by UAEBBY and sponsored by Etisalat - the UAE's leading telecommunications operator - the Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Literature is one of the most important children's literature prizes in the Arab world. The launch of the 8th edition of the annual programme took place at the UAEBBY pavilion at the 45th London Book Fair, which concludes today (Thursday).

Also attending the event at the UAEBBY pavilion was His Excellency Abdul Aziz Taryam, CEO Advisor and General Manager of Etisalat Northern Emirates, and Marwa Al Aqroubi, President of the UAEBBY Executive Board. A number of Arabic and international publishing houses’ representatives were also present.

Commenting on the event, Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi said, "The Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Literature has become a platform for innovation and creativity for those involved in the Arab children’s book industry. It provides them with the opportunity to develop their work by making it more effective and attractive, as well as gives them the chance to go global through showcasing their work to foreign publishing houses. We believe that reading plays a crucial role in building the intellectual capacity of our children. Reading is the way to civilisation progress and is one of the main pillars on which nations advance."

Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi also pointed out that the Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Literature is no longer a mere award with a cash prize, but through its new structuring has become a developmental project to elevate and promote reading among Arab children.

For his part, Abdul Aziz Taryam said, "The Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Literature has played a very important role in the advancement of children's literature, enriching the Arab library and providing it with the best titles for children and young adults. The award has successfully encouraged writers, illustrators and publishing houses in the field of children's literature to undertake greater efforts to deliver their best ideas, narratives and artwork. This has attracted children to the world of reading and achieved the goals we share with our partners at UAEBBY."

Etisalat, the UAE's leading telecommunications operator and official sponsor of the Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Literature, continues to contribute to elevating the literary sphere in the UAE, culturally and intellectually, through its sponsorship of an array of initiatives and projects. It has supported the ‘Warsha’ initiative over the past years, which was launched by the UAEBBY with the aim of creating a new generation of talent in the field of children’s book writing, illustrating and publishing.

The Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Literature award concerns two main categories; children and young people, and is worth a total of AED One Million. The ‘Best Children’s Book of the Year’ is worth AED 300,000, to be distributed equally between the author, illustrator and publisher, while the ‘Best Young Adult Book of the Year’ is valued at AED 200,000, to be distributed equally between the author and publisher. The ‘Best Text,’ ‘Best Illustration’ and ‘Best Production’ categories are awarded AED 100,000 each. AED 200,000 is allocated to organising workshops to build Arab capacities in writing, illustration and production, as well as to discovering, nurturing and inspiring the next generation of young Arab talent in the children’s book industry.

The Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Literature was launched in 2009 as a generous initiative by Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Founder and Honorary President of UAEBBY, and is sponsored by Etisalat. It aims to promote the children's book industry in the Arab world, enrich children's literature and motivate publishers, authors and illustrators to produce the most creative Arabic children's books.

Source:WAM