Abu Dhabi, UAE – The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC) has closed nominations for the first edition of the ‘Kanz Al Jeel’ award, organised by the ALC to honour Nabati poetic works, as well as folk studies and research into the subject, and is awarded to scholars and creators whose works explore the rich heritage and authentic values of Nabati poetry.
The award’s committee received 234 submissions across all six categories, where the Studies & Research category accounted for the highest percentage of total submissions with 37%, followed by Poetry Publications with 23%, Poetic Matching with 10%, Arts with 10%, Translation with 4%, and finally the Creative Personality category with 6%.
Entries came from 20 countries around the world, namely, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Algeria, Sudan, Yemen, Iraq, Morocco, Syria, India, Bangladesh, the US, Canada, and the Netherlands. The next stage will be the evaluation process, which sets the stage for announcing the longlists.
ALC Chairman His Excellency Dr Ali bin Tamim asserted that: “The ‘Kanz Al Jeel’ award succeeded, in its very first edition, in shedding light on creative minds of Nabati poetry everywhere, exploring their contributions to this authentic artform, which embodies the culture and aspirations of the people. This, in turn, supports our strategic objectives at the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre to embrace talents in this very notable field of literary arts – poetry. The award holds an exceptional value, given its association with the name and works of the UAE’s Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. The Abu Dhabi Language Centre values all the works submitted for the award; the number of applications shows that future generations will make great contributions towards enriching the local and Arab literary worlds with a series of works that will immortalise the art of Nabati poetry.”
For his part, Eissa Saif Al Mazrouei, Chairman of the award’s Higher Committee, said: “The first edition of the Kanz Al Jeel award underlines the great place that the art of poetry occupies around the world, and particularly Nabati poetry, which embodies the customs and traditions of its communities and preserves their legacies. The award’s higher committee received a vast number of applications from around the world. This reflects the enormous pool of talented and creative people in the field of Nabati poetry and research that exists across all societies. We are confident that the next editions of the award will see a clear increase in the number of participations and countries taking part in the award.”
The Kanz Al Jeel award includes a monetary prize of AED200,000 per category, with the exception of the Creative Personality, which has a prize value of AED500,000. The award is inspired by the poems of the UAE’s Founding Father the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and aims to promote poetry as a mirror of society and underline the prominent position it occupies in the Emirati and Arab conscience.
The award honours distinguished poetic works by publishing them and introducing their authors. It also aims to highlight the aesthetic and human values in the poems of the late Sheikh Zayed, in addition to preserving the heritage of Nabati poetry and strengthening future generations’ connection to their identity through poetry, culture, and heritage.
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About Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre
The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, established following a directive from His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, as part of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, works to support Arabic language development and modernisation through comprehensive strategies and frameworks, enrich the scientific, educational, cultural and creative contributions of the Arabic language, promote Arabic language proficiency and cultural understanding, and support Arab talents in the fields of writing, translation, publishing, scientific research, arts, content creation and organisation of book fairs. The Centre works to realise its foundational vision through dedicated programmes, human expertise, and meaningful partnerships with the world’s most prestigious technical, cultural, and academic institutions.
About the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi
The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) drives the sustainable growth of Abu Dhabi's culture, tourism and creative sectors, fuels economic progress and helps achieve Abu Dhabi's wider global ambitions. By working in partnership with the organisations that define the emirate's position as a leading international destination, DCT Abu Dhabi strives to unite the ecosystem around a shared vision of the emirate's potential, coordinate effort and investment, deliver innovative solutions, and use the best tools, policies, and systems to support the culture and tourism industries.
DCT Abu Dhabi's vision is defined by the emirate's people, heritage, and landscape. We work to enhance Abu Dhabi's status as a place of authenticity, innovation, and unparalleled experiences, represented by its living traditions of hospitality, pioneering initiatives, and creative thought.