Katara Launches AI Novel Competition and New Literary Events

The Cultural Village Foundation (Katara) announced the Katara Novel and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Competition on Wednesday. The competition is part of the 11th Katara Festival for Arabic Novels. Khalid Abdulrahim Al Sayed, Director of Events and Cultural Affairs at Katara, explained that this initiative is part of the award’s new projects in its second decade. It is designed to embrace the growing use of AI in literature and creative fields.

Purpose of the AI Competition

Al Sayed stated that the competition aims to transform unpublished novels and historical novels into films using artificial intelligence tools under specific guidelines. This initiative leverages the valuable literary contributions generated by the Katara Prize for Arabic Novel over the past eleven years, encouraging innovative ways to adapt literature for modern media.

New Publications at Katara Book Fair

On the same day, Katara Publishing House unveiled four new publications during the third Katara Book Fair, held alongside the festival. The books included novels, as well as works on environmental and health culture. Sheikh Hassan bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan Al Abdullah Al-Thani signed two books: the second edition of Birds of the Desert in the Qatari Environment and Birds of Qatar, targeted at young readers.

Author Discussions and Novel Signings

Jordanian author Hana Al Bawab led a discussion on the importance of cultural heritage in reinforcing national identity. Young Qatari writer Moza Al Ahbabi signed her novel A Melody Not Written by the Winds, becoming the youngest Qatari author to publish a novel. Faiza Mohammed Ibrahim also signed her book Everything You Want to Know About Multiple Sclerosis, aimed at raising health awareness.

Training Workshops at Katara Library

Two training workshops were held at the Katara Library for Arabic Novels. The first, Historical Novels: Writing Techniques, lasted three days, while the second focused on Young Adult Novels and Fine Art. These workshops aim to enhance writing skills and creativity among emerging writers and enthusiasts.

Katara Library: A Hub for Literature

Khalid Al-Muhannadi, Director of the Katara Library for Arabic Novels, highlighted that the library is a unique initiative of the Katara Prize, specializing in novels and critical studies in the Arab region. It houses more than 15,000 novels and critical studies, and organizes weekly dialogue sessions, book signings, workshops, and film adaptation viewings.

Community Engagement and Accessibility

The library actively engages readers through interactive social media groups with over 550 members, including writers, poets, and artists. Readers can borrow novels and critical books under specific conditions. The library is open from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., offering a reading room for free reading and study.

A seminar titled The Historical Novel: The Referential and the Imaginary was also held during the festival. Speakers included Dr. Noura Farag, Dr. Ali Afifi, and novelist Abdullah Maksour, with moderation by writer Mamdouh Abaro. The seminar explored how historical facts can be transformed into imaginative narratives, highlighting the difference between historians and novelists, and balancing reality with fiction in historical storytelling.