(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) DOHA, Oct 12 (KUNA) -- The Cultural Village Foundation-Katara announced Wednesday the winners for this year edition of Katara prize for the Arabic novel during an evening honoring ceremony, held at the opera house.
With the presence of dignitaries and renowned novelists, intellectuals, and the jury members.
During the honoring ceremony, the General Manager of the Cultural Village Foundation-Katara Dr. Khalid bin Ibrahim Al-Sulaiti presented momentary shields to the awarded novelists that over a short period of time, has carved out a strong position on the region's literary map as a fully-fledged and comprehensive cultural initiative that aims at fostering the presence of Arab novel in the region and globally, and encouraging and supporting creative Arab novelists to raise cultural awareness and attract further interest in the Arab narrative.
The General Manager of the Cultural Village has presented to his Excellency Abdullah Ahmad Mohareb, the General Manager of Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) Katara's initiative of announcing 13th of October as the day of Arabic novel to be annually marked.
The winners of this year edition of the Arabic novel prize were grabbed by Nasser Iraq for the published novel of Drama category and the unpublished novel by Ali Ahmad Al-Rifai (Mero Family genes) for the same category.
As for the published novels, the announced awarded novelists are Ibrahim Nasr Allah (Kilmanjaro souls), Ilyas Khori (sons of Gitto), Eman Hamedan (Fifty grams of heaven), Nasser Iraq (Al Azbakia), and Yahia Yakhalf (wind rider).
While the unpublished novels are awarded to Salmi Al-Nasser- (blue tongues), Saad Mohamed Raheem (Desire banks), Ali Ahmad Al-Rifai (Mero Family genes), Mohamed Al-Gharbi Omran (Heights queen), and Mostafa Al-Hamdawi (princess shadows).
Katara's prizes for research and studies went to; Dr. Ibrahim Al-Hajri, Dr. Hassan Al-Mowadn, Dr. Hossam Safan, Dr. Zohor Karam and Dr. Mohamed Abo Azza.
The categories of the 2nd edition of Katara Prize for the Arabic novel 2016, comprises, the top Drama for the published category will be awarded USD 200,000, as for the unpublished Drama award will receive USD 100,000.
The top five published submissions from the first category will each be awarded USD 60,000 totaling USD 300,000.
The top five unpublished submissions from the second category will each be awarded USD 30,000 totaling USD 150,000.
The top five unpublished studies from the third research, evaluation and literary criticism category will each be awarded USD 15,000 totaling USD 75,000.
While, the top five unpublished young-adult novels from the fourth category will each be awarded US$10,000 totaling USD 50,000.
This outstanding number of contributions comes from a vast literary geography that covers the whole Arab world, emphasizing the popularity Katara Arab Novel Prize enjoys across the Arab world.
Katara has received 375 submissions from Egypt and Sudan, 260 submissions from Iraq and the Levant, 257 submissions from northern Arab African countries, 105 submissions from the GCC countries and Yemen and 7 submissions from non-Arab countries.
The second edition of the Katara Arab Novel Festival represents a comprehensive cultural project and comprised events and activities focused on audiences and readers with avid interest in the latest of narrative scene and innovative novel techniques.
The Gallery of Collectibles Pens held at building 18 on the sidelines of the Katara Arab Novel Festival, offers visitors a large selection of collectibles pens and writing instruments that belong to renowned writers in the world of narrative, in addition to 24 mural paintings inspired by their novels.
The murals feature quotes on the importance of pens as an everlasting symbol of inspiration to these novelists, and targets interactions by the audiences from the writer's community and the fans of literature alike.
The Cultural Village Foundation-Katara also announced that deadline for receiving entries to the Katara 3rd edition of the Arab Novel Prize will be December 31, 2016 and no participation will be accepted after that date. (end) nnd.mb