Sharjah Book Authority opens submissions for SIBF Awards
The deadline for submissions is August 31, 2024, and the winners will be announced during the grand opening ceremony of the 43rd edition of SIBF
The Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) has opened applications for Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) Awards 2024, a prestigious initiative that honours authors, publishers and translators for their contributions to Arabic and international literature.
The deadline for submissions is August 31, 2024, and the winners will be announced during the grand opening ceremony of the 43rd edition of SIBF. This annual event aims to celebrate and promote literary talents, foster a culture of reading, and advance the global publishing industry.
The awards reflect SBA’S commitment to the vision and directives of His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, to reinforce SIBF’S role in propelling writing, translating and publishing Arabic and international books, as well as honouring creative visionaries who offer the world enlightening content in recognition of their outstanding efforts.
With a prize pool of Dhs625,000, the annual awards are divided into several main categories, including the Sharjah Award for an Emirati Book, Sharjah Award for the Best Arabic Novel, Sharjah
Award for the Best International Book, and Sharjah Publisher Recognition Award. Participants can submit their entries and gain more insights into the criteria and rules on SIBF’S official website: htps://www.sibf.com/en/content?id=10374
THE SHARJAH AWARD FOR AN EMIRATI BOOK: The Sharjah Award for an Emirati Book is divided into four subcategories with a prize pool of Dhs300,000, celebrating and incentivising Emirati literary talents. ‘The Best Emirati Book for First-time Authors’, with a prize of Dhs50,000, honours debut novels by emerging Emirati authors. ‘The Best Emirati Novel Award’, ‘Best Emirati Creative Literature Book’, and ‘Best Emirati Academic Book’ subcategories aim to encourage and recognise the efforts of authors, researchers, and publishers in enriching the UAE’S collection with outstanding and valuable literary and academic works.
THE SHARJAH AWARD FOR THE BEST ARABIC NOVEL: The Sharjah Award for the Best Arabic Novel, worth Dhs150,000, recognises outstanding works of fiction that demonstrate authenticity, originality, and creative approaches to addressing the realities and challenges facing the Arab world. The award is split evenly between the author and publisher, serving as an incentive to collaborate on producing novels that captivate readers with fresh perspectives and innovative literary techniques.
THE SHARJAH AWARD FOR THE BEST INTERNATIONAL BOOK: The Sharjah Award for the Best International Book, worth a total of Dhs100,000, recognises outstanding works of fiction and non-fiction writen in English and is split into two subcategories. ‘The Best International Fiction Book’ subcategory honours imaginative novels and short story collections that captivate readers, while ‘The Best International Non-fiction Book’ subcategory celebrates nonfiction works that shed light on aspects of social life and history, providing readers with factual insights and knowledge.
THE SHARJAH PUBLISHER RECOGNITION AWARD: The Sharjah Publisher Recognition Award, with a total value of Dhs75,000, celebrates and incentivises innovation among publishers, and is divided into three subcategories, each worth Dhs25,000: ‘The Best Local Publisher’, ‘Best Arab Publisher’, and ‘Best International Publisher’. This award aims to inspire publishers to continue enhancing their contributions to the literary landscape, whether through their work with local, regional, or global authors and content.
Recently, the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) facilitated a dynamic exchange of expertise and collaboration opportunities at the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference & Exhibition in San Diego, the world’s largest library event, that recently concluded.
As the sole representative of Arab culture at the event, SBA connected cultural entities, information management institutions, and library professionals worldwide with Sharjah and the UAE.
During its participation, SBA announced the opening of registration for the 11th edition of the Sharjah International Library Conference. Coordinated alongside the 43rd Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) at Sharjah Expo Centre and in collaboration with ALA, this hybrid conference offers both in-person and virtual atendance options, providing access to a global network of librarians and digitally registered exhibitors.