Celebrating 20 Years of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award

Under the high patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Sheikh Zayed Book Award (SZBA) has proudly announced the winners for its monumental 20th edition (2025–2026). This milestone signifies two decades of significant contributions to culture since the award was first established in 2006.

Managed by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, part of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, the award maintains its status as a premier platform for cultural exchange, knowledge, and creativity.

Two Decades of Enriching Culture

In its 20-year history, the Sheikh Zayed Book Award has attained recognition as one of the globe's most esteemed literary honors. It has attracted over 33,000 submissions from around 80 countries and has recognized 136 winners spanning authors, researchers, and cultural entities.

Encompassing ten categories—including literature, translation, and children’s literature—the award reflects its expanding influence and outreach. It has notably aided in the translation of 50 Arabic works into 12 languages since 2018, broadening the reach of Arabic literature and fostering international dialogue.

A Transparent Selection Framework

Winners are chosen through a rigorous, multi-tier evaluation process that prioritizes originality, artistic excellence, scholarly depth, and overall contributions to knowledge.

This meticulous and clear approach guarantees integrity and the esteemed reputation of the award worldwide.

2025–2026 Winner Highlights

This year’s recipients hail from a diverse mix of cultural backgrounds that includes Egypt, Iraq, Morocco, Germany, Jordan, and the UAE.

• Literature: Ashraf Elashmawy (Egypt) for Births in the Zoo, a novel illuminating social and psychological changes in contemporary Egypt.

• Young Author: Mustapha Rajouane (Morocco) for his in-depth analysis of narrative structures in Arabic literature.

• Translation: Nawal Nasrallah (Iraq/USA) for her translation of a 13th-century Arabic culinary text into English.

• Literary & Art Criticism: Zuhair Tawfiq (Jordan) for a study discussing cultural stereotypes between East and West.

• Arab Culture in Other Languages: Stefan Weidner (Germany) for compiling an anthology of pre-Islamic Arabic poetry in German.

• Publishing & Technology: Emirates Literature Foundation for enhancing reading culture and global literary dialogue.

• Manuscripts & Encyclopaedias: Prof. Dr Mohamed Elkhosht (Egypt) for his detailed Encyclopaedia of World Religions.

Celebration of Cultural Personality

The elite Cultural Personality of the Year title was awarded to the iconic Egyptian singer Nagat Al Saghira. Celebrated for her emotive performances and timeless voice, she has been a vital force in preserving traditional Arabic music.

Award Ceremony and Acknowledgements

The winners will be honored during a formal ceremony set to take place in Abu Dhabi.

• Cultural Personality of the Year award includes AED 1 million.

• Other category winners receive AED 750,000, along with a gold medal and certificate.

In celebration of its 20th anniversary, the Sheikh Zayed Book Award will host a variety of international cultural events in 2026, meant to promote its legacy and further advocate for Arabic literature on a global scale.

This edition alone garnered over 4,000 nominations from 74 nations, underscoring the award's evolution as a vital platform for creativity, knowledge sharing, and cultural discourse worldwide.