Qassim Saudi
Jordan’s Dar Fadaat for Publishing and Distribution launched the first edition of an award for creativity and translation, in collaboration with the Chinese website, Those Books, on the sidelines of its participation at Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF 2018).
The award was launched in the presence of Emirati poet Habib Al Sayegh, Secretary General of the Arab Writers Union, Dr. Shih Yang, Operations Manager, Those Books, and poet Jihad Abu Hashish, Director of Dar Fadaat.
Entry for the awards is open from May 10 to June 25, and the winners will be honoured in Jeddah in 2018. The names of the jury members will be revealed once the shortlist is announced, and any writer under the age of 30 years is eligible to participate in the award with one unpublished story.
Al Sayegh praised the active role of such initiatives in building bridges between two important civilisations in human history. He also stressed on the value such cultural activities add to the creative endeavours of the diverse Arab cultures.
Hashish noted the two categories of the award: Short Arabic Story books and Chinese Translations of Arabic Stories.
“Launching this award stems from Fadaat’s belief in the importance of the creative arts and the need to motivate young writers and give them a real opportunity to write creatively,” he said.
He continued to say that the 10 winning short stories in Arabic will be published as an anthology and translated to Chinese.
Chinese translator and researcher Shih Yang said that the goal of the award is to launch a literary competition that encourages new literary talent in the Arab world and also highlight the unique Arab narrative regionally and globally.
She said: “The award also aims to motivate young generations to pay more attention to the art of the short story, and encourage young Chinese translators to translate Arabic short stories and celebrate them on the Arab and international level.”
