The 14th iteration of the Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Literature has been announced at the 49th London Book Fair (LBF), in the presence of Bodour Al Qasimi, President of the International Publishers Association (IPA), and Founder and Honourary President of the UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY). A new and improved online platform of the award was also launched at the international book fair.
These announcements are part of UAEBBY’s participation at LBF 2022 where Sharjah is being celebrated as Market Focus. The region’s leading award that celebrates excellence in Arabic children’s literature, is organised by the UAEBBY and sponsored by Etisalat.
The launch event was also attended by Sheikh Fahim bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Department of Government Relations (DGR) in Sharjah, who is heading the Sharjah delegation at the book fair; HE Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, Chairman, Sharjah Book Authority (SBA); and Marwa Al Aqroubi, President of UAEBBY.
Registrations for the Etisalat Award are now open for content creators, authors, illustrators and publishers of children and young people’s literature worldwide, who can submit applications online through the award’s new online platform.
New design
The online platform is designed using the latest technologies to ensure ease of registration and application. It enables easier management of entries to each category, including adding, deleting, or modifying data without the need to re-register.
The new online platform will also allow the jury to review and read the entries online, add their feedback and evaluate the books before their official meetings, all aimed at saving time and effort and ensuring more accurate results.
Remarkable success
Abdulaziz Taryam, CEO, Advisor and General Manager of Etisalat – Northern Emirates, said: “Supporting the award underscores our unwavering commitment to collaborate with our partners to build a creative generation and offer quality content that meets the needs of our communities and contribute to promoting children and young people’s book industry.”
Marwa Al Aqroubi, President of UAEBBY, said that the launch of the 14th Etisalat Award at LBF 2022 where Sharjah is being celebrated as Market Focus, marks yet another achievement in fulfilling the vision of Sharjah’s cultural project. She added that the award has succeeded in supporting the book industry with quality books for children and young people, thus empowering the younger generation to build a better future for their communities.
“Since its inception 13 years ago, the Etisalat Award has honoured some of the best literary works and is committed to achieving its goals to promote Arab children’s literature globally and improving its competitiveness at international forums and events. We hope that the award will continue to provide quality books to enrich children’s libraries and contribute to achieving the emirate’s aspirations of investing in the younger generations to expand their learning and knowledge,” Al Aqroubi added.
The value of the award is AED 1.2 million and is distributed across five different categories. Each category is awarded AED 180,000, distributed equally between the publisher, author and illustrator; except in the Young Adult Book category where the amount be divided between the publisher and the author.
In addition, AED 300,000 is allocated to the Warsha programme which organises the Etisalat Award Workshops for Children’s Books. Launched in 2013, the programme aims to discover a new generation of Arab talent, and encourage their creative capacities in writing books that are deeply rooted in the local Arabic culture while meeting international standards.
