Sheikh Zayed Book Award Announces Longlists for 20th Edition
The Sheikh Zayed Book Award (SZBA), organised by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), has unveiled the longlists for its 20th edition (2025-2026). The categories announced include Literature, Young Author, Children’s Literature, and Editing of Arabic Manuscripts, with selections made by dedicated judging panels and currently under further evaluation.
This year, the award attracted a record-breaking 4,000+ submissions from 74 countries, marking a notable expansion in international reach. Participants included representatives from 21 Arab nations and 53 other countries, with Chile, Iceland, and Luxembourg joining the competition for the first time—reflecting the award’s growing global recognition.
The Literature category led in the number of entries, closely followed by Young Author and Children’s Literature. Additional categories in the competition are Literary and Art Criticism, Contribution to the Development of Nations, Translation, Arab Culture in Other Languages, Editing of Arabic Manuscripts, Publishing and Technology, and Cultural Personality of the Year.
The current edition saw significant growth in inclusivity, with a twelve percent rise in women’s participation, an eighty percent increase in entries from cultural and research institutions, and a sixteen percent increase in submissions from non-Arab countries.
Longlist Highlights:
- The Literature longlist features 11 titles from eight countries—Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Egypt, Iraq, Algeria, Jordan, Kuwait, and Lebanon—showcasing works such as The Tear of Granada, Nightly Archery, Births in the Zoo, and A Swiss Summer.
- The Young Author longlist highlights eight titles from Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Egypt, Morocco, and Jordan, spanning critical studies, creative works, theses, and poetry. Featured works include Scent of the Lone Tree, My Undying Butterfly, and The Companion: A Book About Books.
- In Children’s Literature, nine titles from Egypt, Palestine, Kuwait, Lebanon, Iraq, the UAE, and Tunisia were selected, featuring books such as Dark Web, Lulwa’s Summer, A Tiny Problem, and Suns of My Country.
- The Editing of Arabic Manuscripts longlist comprises eight titles from Syria, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Tunisia, including classical and scholarly works like Kitāb al-Fawz, Martyrium Arethae Arabice, Encyclopaedia of World Religions, and Kitāb Ṭayf al-Khayāl.
Further longlists for the remaining categories will be revealed in the coming weeks.
The Sheikh Zayed Book Award—established in 2006 to honour the legacy of the UAE’s Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan—celebrates excellence in literature, the arts, and the humanities. It provides support for translation initiatives and intercultural dialogue, furthering its mission to encourage global cultural exchange. The award is organised by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, with backing from the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, and offers a prize pool of AED 7,750,000.
Team V.4-EM-UAE
