Abu Dhabi, UAE – The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC) has announced the lineup of the Higher Committee of the third cycle of the Kanz Al Jeel award, which includes creative minds and renowned intellectual, literary, and academic figures.

The Higher Committee is chaired by His Excellency Abdulla- Majed Al Ali, Director General of the National Library and Archives, and brings together Emirati poet Obaid Al Qathlan Al Mazrouei; Kuwaiti researcher Dr. Abdullah Ghliss; Prof. Dr. Aysha Alshamsi, Emirati academic, critic, and poet; and Egyptian composer, artist, and researcher Hassan Zaki.

H.E. Abdulla Majed Al Ali said: “I thank the entire team behind the distinguished Kanz Al Jeel award. I am confident that this award will become a beacon of creativity and excellence, spotlighting talented poets, and strengthening the literary heritage of Nabati poetry. We urge all poets and Nabati poetry enthusiasts to actively participate in the award and hope it will be a starting point towards generating greater interest in this rich literary heritage, while supporting poetic creativity in the region.”

Kanz Al Jeel is an annual award, launched by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre in 2021 to honour Nabati poetic works, folk studies, and research into fields related to Nabati poetry. The accolade is granted to scholars and creators who have presented notable works that spotlight the heritage connected to Nabati poetry and its authentic values. Drawing its name from a poem by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Founding Father of the UAE, the award strives to advance poetry and its role as a mirror of society, underlining the position it holds in the Emirati and Arab collective consciousness.

Kanz Al Jeel accepts submissions across six categories, starting with Poetry Matching, which is granted to a poem distinguished by its ability to match a specific poem by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Meanwhile, the Creative Personality category recognises an individual or institution that has made significant and impactful contributions to Nabati poetry and related studies, as well as in the fields of music, singing, painting, and Arabic calligraphy.

In the Arts category, the award is given to an artwork that strives to read, perform, and embody Sheikh Zayed’s poetry and Nabati poetry, using a variety of tools, such as Arabic calligraphy or visual arts. The Studies and Research category, meanwhile, awards published studies on Nabati poetry that examine the styles, content, and lexicon of this poetry, using a serious and scientific approach.

The Poetic Publications category awards a Nabati poetry collection that is original in form and content, while the Translation category is reserved for poems and verses of Sheikh Zayed’s poetry that have been translated into other languages. The Translation category may alternatively honour a work that has made a significant contribution towards the translation of Arabic poetry into other languages.

New Higher Committee members’ bios:

Abdullah Majed Al Ali

Over the course of a long career spanning over 28 years, His Excellency Abdulla Majed Al Ali held a series of prominent positions in the fields of culture and media, among others, serving as Director General of the National Library and Archives since August 2022; Executive Director of the National Library Sector at the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) in 2016; Acting Executive Director of the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC); and Director of the Libraries Department.

Furthermore, H.E. Al Ali held several positions within DCT Abu Dhabi, managing notable projects, including Sheikh Zayed Book Award (SZBA), Kalima Project for Translation, Esdarat Project, and Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF). He also oversaw the establishment of the Qasr Al Watan Library and made notable contributions during his membership on several Boards of Directors, including the Board of Directors of the National Archives, the Board of Trustees of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award, and the Board of Trustees of the International Prize for Arabic Fiction.

Dr. Aysha Alshamsi

Dr. Aysha Alshamsi holds a PhD in Modern Literature and Criticism and serves as Associate Dean at the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT). Her books include ‘The Psychology of Poetic Image’ and ‘Emirati Poetry in Light of Environmental Literary Criticism’, in addition to three poetry collections.

She is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Arab Academic Women Award and of the International Future Schools, as well as a member of the Emirates Writers Union, International Federation of the Arabic Language, and the International Council for the Arabic Language. Dr. Alshamsi has published numerous research papers in several peer-reviewed journals and international conferences.

Hassan Zaki

Hassan Zaki is an Egyptian composer, plastic artist and researcher who has created melodies for many stars of the Arab world, such as Ali El-Hajjar, Hanan Madi, Medhat Saleh and Reham Abdel Hakim. In the field of fine arts, Zaki has set up numerous exhibitions, and has participated in the first, third, and fourth editions of the Cairo International Forum for Arabic Calligraphy Arts. Moreover, he worked on a project to transfer Arabic calligraphy from its traditional formations and raw materials to plastic art, sponsored by the Egyptian Ministry of Culture, for a period of five years.

Zaki is a member of the Egyptian Writers Union and has three published books, as well as many literary publications and research books, earning a range of awards in the fields of music, fine art, and literature. Furthermore, Zaki served as member of the Technical Committee at the Cairo International Book Fair for four consecutive sessions.

Obaid Al Qathlan Al Mazrouei

With extensive experience spanning 26 years in managing and coordinating projects related to heritage events, Obaid Al Qathlan Al Mazrouei has made many significant achievements, most notable among them being his two poetry collections, ‘Diwan Al-Raqraqi’ and ‘Poetry Collection by Mubarak bin Qathlan Al Mazrouei’. Al Mazrouei won the first edition of the Kanz Al Jeel award in the Poetry Matching category, and has penned a series of sung poems, such as ‘Zan Liwa’ for artist Hamad Al Amri, ‘I Belong to You, My Nation’ and ‘Dar Al-Riyum’ for artist Eidha Al Menhali, ‘Mother of the Martyr’ for Faisal Al Jasim, ‘We Pledge to You, Our Nation’ for Mohammed Al Menhali, and ‘The Most Precious Nation’, which was performed by the group.

Moreover, Al Mazrouei has participated in many poetry evenings and mornings, including the poetry evening at the Qasr Al Hosn Festival, Qasr Al Muwaiji, Liwa Date Festival, and Al Dhafra Festival for camel mazayna (beauty competitions). He holds a master’s degree in business administration from Abu Dhabi School of Management, and a bachelor’s degree and diploma in human resource management from Emirates College for Management & Information Technology.

Dr. Abdullah Ghliss

Dr. Abdullah Ghliss holds a PhD in Arabic language and literature from Minia University in Egypt. He is a member of the Kuwaiti Writers Association and served as editor-in-chief of Al-Bayan magazine, published by the Association, while also serving as member of the Comprehensive and Quality Development Committee for Al-Arabi magazine.

Dr. Ghliss has authored several specialised books, including ‘Towards the Text: A Study in Ibn Zaydun's Poetry’, ‘The Science of Prosody and Rhyme’, and ‘Investigations of Al-Bayan’, a collection of manuscripts edited by various scholars, among others. He also published a collection of peer-reviewed research on poetry and prosody in journals affiliated with Kuwait University and Suez Canal University, among other institutions, in addition to numerous articles published in various Gulf and Arab newspapers, discussing aspects and components of Nabati poetry.

Dr. Ghliss also served as member of various judging panels for Arab poetry awards and festivals, and lectured at several faculties, providing specialised courses.