Second Arabic Book Award Winners Honoured

(MENAFN- Gulf Times) The winners of the second edition of the Arabic book Award were honoured during a ceremony held at the Kempinski Pearl Hotel on Saturday, attended by HE Minister of Education and Higher Education Lolwah bint Rashid bin Mohammed AlKhater, and a number of senior officials and the ambassadors accredited to Qatar.
Secretary General of the Arabic Book Award Dr Hassan al-Naama crowned the award winners in various fields.
Launched by Qatar in March 2024, the Arabic Book Award focuses on books written in the Arabic language and aims to honor researchers, publishing houses and institutions contributing to the Arabic book industry.
In his speech on the occasion, Dr al-Naama expressed his sincere thanks and appreciation to His Highness the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani for his patronage of the award, praising His Highness' continuous support for culture and thought.
He stressed that this award is not merely an honour for authors, but rather an embodiment of the nation's keeping pace with the progression of human thought, and an inspiration from its ancient Arab heritage.
He also noted that Arab heritage was and still is a fundamental tributary of human knowledge, emphasising the importance of the role of writers and thinkers in enhancing cultural awareness and consolidating intellectual values.
Last year, he said, we celebrated the launch of this award, which distinguishes itself from others not merely as a recognition for writers, but as a reflection of our nation's commitment to the advancement of human thought. It is an inspiration drawn from our profound Arab heritage, which has contributed a wealth of knowledge to humanity - a legacy we take pride in throughout the ages, he added.
Arabic Book Award spokesperson, Abdulrahman al-Marri, said that 11 book category winners and six achievement category winners were honoured in this edition, a significant accomplishment that enhances the award's stature and contributes to supporting Arab authors and recognising their scholarly efforts.
Al-Marri added that the award not only involves honoring individuals but also shines a light on Arab authors who may not have reached the audiences adequately, providing them with a prestigious platform that strengthens their intellectual presence and grants them the institutional status they deserve. This, in turn, helps elevate the value of Arabic books and enhances their role in both the Arab and global cultural scenes.
In turn, Director of the Institute of Arabic Manuscripts, Dr Ali Abdullah al-Naeem, expressed pride for receiving this award, which he described as not only an acknowledgment of the efforts of the generations that have worked at the institute over eight decades but also an incentive to carry on its mission.
Regarding upcoming projects, Dr al-Naeem said that the institute will continue its work by preserving Arab heritage, making it available to researchers, and enhancing the study of manuscript through offering academic programmes and training courses.
The Director of the Institute of Arabic Manuscripts said that the establishment of an Arab committee in Doha affiliated with the UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (Unesco) strengthens Arab efforts in documenting and protecting manuscript heritage and opens new horizons for cooperation between cultural institutions and research centers in the Arab world.
For his part, Dr. Abdulaziz al-Mani said that the Arabic Book Award is a significant support for the Arabic language and for Arab writers, strengthening the Arabic language and solidifying its position among world languages. He added that it does not only serve as a platform to recognize winner, rather it is also a catalyst for the development of Arab cultural production.
Arabic Book Award winner, Professor Dr Abderrazak Belagrouz, expressed his happiness with this recognition, describing it as support for philosophical thought and the development of moral awareness in the Arab world.
Belagrouz said that the Arabic Book Award is a comprehensive award as it is not limited to technical and scientific fields, but extends to include history, philosophy, linguistics, and Islamic sciences.

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