ABU DHABI, 18th December, 2020 (WAM) — The Sheikh Zayed Book Award at the Abu Dhabi Center for Arabic Language of the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism has announced the translation of 9 new books this year into five different international languages : English, French, Italian and Ukrainian and, for the first time, a translation into Greek, bringing the total number of books published with the support of the award’s translation grants initiative to 24 since its launch in 2018.
The Year-round Translation Scholarship for International Publishers aims to promote the dissemination of Arabic literature in the world by translating the winning literary works, children’s literature and titles of the award finalists into many languages, as the scholarship provides financial funding up to $19,000.
The translation of a group of masterpieces of Arabic literature through the Translation Grant initiative is part of the celebration of the International Day of the Arabic Language, which represents a great opportunity to highlight the efforts of the initiative in supporting the Arab cultural product and an attempt to disseminate Arabic literature throughout the world and introduce readers to its creations and its role in creating movement among cultural circles.
The titles of the books translated with the grant’s support varied and included several branches, including the branch of children’s and young people’s literature, which included…
An Artist’s Journey: by Tunisian writer Maison Bennani, winner of the Children’s and Young Adult Literature Award 2021. It has been translated into English by Noha Jourani Hammad, in collaboration with Book Land Press.
And “The Boy Who Saw the Color of the Air”: by the Lebanese writer Abdo Wazen, winner of the Children’s and Young Adult Literature Award for the year 2012. It has been translated into English by Noha Jourani Hammad, in collaboration with the “Book casa Land Press publisher.
And “The Lilac Girl”: by the Palestinian writer Ibtisam Barakat, winner of the Child and Young Adult Literature Award 2020, and translated into Greek by Bashar Abbas in collaboration with the publishing house “Strang Days Books”.
And “An artist’s journey”: by the Tunisian writer Maison Bennani, winner of the Prize for literature for children and young adults for the year 2021. It has been translated into French by Laila Taher in collaboration with the publishing house “Book Land Press ”.
And “The Boy Who Saw the Color of Air”: by the Lebanese writer Abdo Wazen, winner of the 2012 Children’s and Young Adult Literature Prize. It has been translated into Ukrainian by Aksana Prokhovych, in collaboration with the house editor Anita Antonenko.
The Arts Branch included the following titles:
What You Left Behind: by the Palestinian writer Shatha Mustafa, shortlisted for the Sheikh Zayed Book Award 2021 in the Young Authors category.
Translated into English by Nancy Roberts in collaboration with Banipal Publishing, this book is the first shortlisted book to be translated under the award’s translation grant.
And “Summer Rains”: by the Egyptian writer Ahmed Al-Karmalawi, winner of the Young Author Award 2018, and has been translated into Italian by Amira Kilani in collaboration with the publishing house “Round Robin Edtress”.
And “After Coffee”: by the Egyptian writer Abd al-Rashid Mahmoudi, winner of the 2014 Literature Prize. It has been translated into Ukrainian by Bohdan Horvat, in collaboration with the “Anita Antonenko” publishing house.
And “Summer Rains”: by the Egyptian writer Ahmed Al-Karmalawi, winner of the Young Author Award 2018, and has been translated into Ukrainian by Sergey Rybalkin in collaboration with the publishing house “Anita Antonenko Publishing”.
In this context, His Excellency Dr. Ali bin Tamim, Secretary General of the Award and President of the Abu Dhabi Center for the Arabic Language, said: “The translation grant is an important qualitative addition that enriches the international literary scene, and a cultural bridge connecting our region with the world. We see in this initiative a real source that supports our efforts in introducing contemporary Arabic literature in general, and in creating intellectual and discussion spaces that allow for the exchange of visions and ideas. The translation grant is in line with the vision and goals of the center to reach out to new cultures who want to know more about Arab civilization, and we look forward to translating more books into Arabic in the coming years to enhance the dissemination of literature in the Arab world and open the doors of dialogue between civilizations.
Lucia Guarano, director of foreign rights of the “Round Ruben Edtress” publishing house in Italy, said: “The Sheikh Zayed Book Award Scholarship for Translation is an essential tool to connect cultures and support Arab authors and writers in Italy and in Europe”. the Italian initiative: “Summer Rains offers a deep cross-section of Arab society and sheds light on an aspect of customs, traditions and modern civilization. It is a beautiful novel for different generations associated with music and art”.
Konstantinos Malusaris of the Greek house Strange Daybox said, “Arabic literature opens the door to understanding Arab society and Arab culture, which represents one of the most important historical cultural pillars in the world.” of children’s stories translated into Greek with the support of the initiative, said Konstantinos Malusaris, “The novel carries with it a message that aims to develop children’s imagination, introduce them to the world of color and make art a supreme tool for life, reflecting the spirit of Arabic literature and its role in human development.
Interestingly, the Sheikh Zayed Book Award is an award bestowed for the qualitative and distinguished achievements of creators and thinkers in the fields of literature, arts and humanities in Arabic and other languages. It also supports the translation movement by honoring authors who produce literary works on Arab culture and civilization in several languages.
