Sheikh Hamad Award For Translation And International Understanding Announces Languages For Its 12Th Edition In 2026

Doha: The Sheikh Hamad Award for Translation and International Understanding has announced the languages for its upcoming 12th edition in 2026, months ahead of the nomination and application period, which is scheduled to take place from January 1 to March 31, 2026, via the award's official website .

In a statement Wednesday, the award explained that the early announcement of the upcoming edition's languages comes in response to repeated requests from translators and publishers, contributing to the enhancement of the quality of nominated works and promoting competitiveness and excellence.

The Sheikh Hamad Award for Translation and International Understanding has selected the languages for the 2026 edition in the Single Book Category, choosing English and Chinese among the most widely spoken languages globally.

Chinese returns to the award after being featured in two previous editions, reaffirming the deep Arab-Chinese cultural ties and the growing momentum in translation between the two languages. The total prize amount in this category is USD 200,000, distributed among the top three winners in each translation direction: from Arabic and into Arabic.

In the Achievement Category, which honors distinguished career paths and cumulative efforts in the field of translation, whether by individuals or institutions, five languages have been selected: Italian, Azerbaijani, Fula (Fulani), in addition to English and Chinese. One prize of USD 100,000 will be awarded for each language.

The statement clarified that the selection of the award's languages each year is based on in-depth field studies conducted by a committee of experts and specialists in translation and comparative studies. The selection is guided by precise criteria that take into account the volume of knowledge and translation exchange with the Arabic language, geographical reach, and cultural diversity, reflecting the award's philosophy of promoting intercultural dialogue and expanding the circles of understanding between cultures.

In celebration of the inclusion of Chinese in this edition, the award committees plan to organize introductory tours in several Chinese cities, including visits to universities and research centers focused on Arab and Islamic studies. These efforts aim to explore the state of translation in China, enhance the award's presence, encourage participation, and establish strategic partnerships with key stakeholders in the field.

The award called on all individuals and institutions interested in translation to follow its official website and social media accounts for the latest updates and to begin early preparations for participation in the 2026 edition, which is expected to attract high-quality submissions from around the world.

The Sheikh Hamad Award for Translation and International Understanding is one of the world's leading independent prizes in the field of translation. Since its launch in 2015, it has continued to fulfill its mission of honoring translators as builders of bridges between cultures and improving the quality and volume of translation to and from Arabic based on scientific and methodological foundations.

The award seeks to elevate the standards of translation and Arabization, enhance the presence of the Arabic language in the global knowledge landscape, and support individual and institutional efforts that promote understanding among peoples through translation as an indispensable civilizational and human tool. (QNA)

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