The Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi honors partners and sponsors of Sharjah’s 1.4 million UAE dirhams (US$381,159) Turjuman Award in translation. Image: SBA, Nabs Ahmedi
By Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief | @Porter_Anderson
See also:
Sharjah International Book Fair Opens Its 43rd Edition
Bodour Al Qasimi Opens the 2024 Sharjah Publishers Conference
Remembering Bassam Chebaro’s Proud Role in Arab Publishing
Sharjah Publishers Conference: 30 Round-Table Programs
UAE: Sharjah Publishers Conference Outlines Its 2024 Program
UAE: Sharjah Book Authority Approves 303 Translation Grants
Emirati Women’s Day: PublisHer and Visa Present ‘She’s Next’
UAE: Sharjah International Book Fair Opens Its Awards
UAE: Sharjah Signs Morocco as Its International Book Fair Guest of Honor
Honoring ‘Endeavors in Translation, Authorship, and Publishing’
We continue working through the many news stories that have come out of this week’s Sharjah Publishers Conference and the opening of the Sharjah International Book Fair (running through November 17).
As happens each year, the opulent opening ceremony with which Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi opens the fair includes the presentation of a series of coveted awards. This year, these were presented onstage in the Expo Sharjah Ballroom by the Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, chairperson of the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA)—herself the founding publisher of the Kalimat Group, of course, and the past president of the International Publishers Association (IPA).
Al Qasimi is president of the American University at Sharjah, and honored both the winners of the 42rd Sharjah book fair’s programming as well as the seventh recipient of the particularly well funded Sharjah Translation Award, known as the Turjuman.
In addressing the winners before they each received an award from Al Qasimi onstage, she said, “Honoring exceptional creativity embodies one of Sharjah’s core cultural values. We are committed to fostering every creative contribution, which enriches our cultural landscape and inspires future generations, amplifying the role of knowledge in shaping resilient, interconnected societies.
“We extend our heartfelt congratulations,” Al Qasimi said, “to all winners, and we and reaffirm Sharjah’s commitment to supporting their endeavors in translation, authorship, and publishing, ensuring their achievements’ long-term impact.
“These awards are designed to inspire further accomplishments, as every success in the cultural sphere is a step toward greater, farther-reaching goals.”
The invited audience on Wednesday morning (November 6) also heard from Khoula Al Mujaini, the book fair coordinator, who said, “Civilizations, in all their expressions—whether literature, thought, art, science, or architecture—preserve the legacy of creators who have captured their insights for future generations.
“History demonstrates that nations ascend and flourish through the contributions of their creative minds.”
2024 Awardees at Sharjah International Book Fair
Author Siddharth Kak accepts the 2024 Best International Nonfiction Book Award from the Sheikha Al Qasimi and Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri in for Kak’s book, written with Lila Kak Bhan, ‘Love, Exile, Redemption,’ published by Rupa Publications in India. Image: SBA, Nabs Ahmedi
Assisted by Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, CEO of the Sharjah Book Authority, Al Qasimi started with the translation award, the Turjuman, presenting the honor to a Turkish translation of The Ring of the Dove by Ibn Hazm Al-Andalusi, translated by Mehmet Hakkı Suçin and published by Alpha Publishing.
According to Publishing Perspectives‘ understanding, the Turjuman prize comes with a purse of 1.4 million UAE dirhams (US$381,159). That being the case, Al Qasimi also honored partners and sponsors of this signal award, including:
- Al Marwan Group; sponsors of Turjuman Award
- Etisalat, the official SIBF sponsor
- Sharjah Broadcasting Authority, the official media partner
- Expo Centre Sharjah, the venue partner
Also commended were Arada, development partner; BEEAH Group, sustainability partner; Invest Bank, banking partner; Abu Dhabi Media, media partner; and Skiply, educational solutions partner.
Remaining groups of awards in the program were the awards for Emirati books and a category of international book awards.
Sharjah Awards for Best Emirati Books
- The award for Best Emirati Novel went to Awad bin Hasum Al Darmaki for Ahd Al Jerah, published by Awraq Publishing & Distribution.
- In the Best Emirati Academic Book category, Ali Al Abdan received the award for Al Aghani Al Emirateya: Masarateha Al Oula Wa Masaderha Al Qadeema, published by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre.
- The Best Emirati Creative Literature Book went to poet Kareem Maatouq for his poetry collection Qasa’ed Men Wadi Aqbar, published by Manshorat Kareem Maatouq.
- Fatima Al Braiki received the Best Emirati First Novel award for her novel Gharbana Be Qalam Al Ghorab, published by Sama Publishing, Production and Distribution.
Sharjah Awards for Best Arabic and International Books
- The Best Arabic Novel award was presented to Issa Nasri for The Mosaic, published by Meskiliani Publishing.
- Best International Fiction Book went to A Stranger in Baghdad by Elizabeth Loudon, published by the American University in Cairo.
- The Best International Nonfiction Book award was received by Siddharth Kak and Lila Kak Bhan for Love, Exile, Redemption, published by Rupa Publications in India.
Additionally, a Publisher Recognition Award was delivered by Al Qasimi to three houses:
- Best Local Publishing house went to Dar Ashjar Publishing & Distribution.
- Best Arabic Publishing house to Meskiliani Publishing from Tunisia.
- Best International Publishing house to DC Books from India.
More from Publishing Perspectives on international book fairs and trade shows is here, more on Sharjah Book Authority and its programs is here, more on the Sharjah International Book Fair is here, and more on international book and publishing awards is here.
About the Author
