Sard Al Thahab Award Sees Record Participation in 2023

The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre closed nominations for the Sard Al Thahab Award 2023, witnessing a 23% growth and first-time entries from diverse countries. The award celebrates and preserves Arab narrative arts, receiving over 1,200 nominations from 34 countries, with Egypt leading in submissions.

The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC) has concluded the nominations stage for the second edition of the Sard Al Thahab Award. This award honors narrators of biographies, literature, and folk tales in the UAE and the broader Arab world. It also aims to highlight inspiring works showcasing Emirati and Arab folk narrative arts.

This year, the ALC received 1,213 nominations across six categories from 34 countries, including 19 Arab nations, marking a 23% increase in submissions from the previous year’s 983 entries. Notably, this edition saw debut entries from countries like Russia, the UK, Turkey, and Australia among others. Egypt led the number of submissions among Arab countries, followed by Morocco, Algeria, Syria, the UAE, Iraq, and Jordan. Turkey and the United States had the highest non-Arab submissions.

The Award's Reading Committee, chaired by Emirati writer Ali Obaid Al Hamli, has reviewed the submissions. He emphasized that the Sard Al Thahab Award has fostered a literary movement rooted in the vision of the UAE’s Founding Father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, aiming to preserve Emirati and Arab cultural heritage.

Ali Obaid Al Hamli noted the rising interest in the award, particularly within the Arab region, reflecting rich productions in folk and narrative arts. The most popular category was Short Story for Unpublished Stories, with 61% of total submissions. Other categories included Short Story for Published Stories, Illustrated Story, Popular Narratives, Emirati Narration, and Narrators.

The judging committees will now conduct thorough reviews of the works, with assessment reports submitted to the Higher Committee to select shortlisted entries. The award aims to connect future generations with their heritage through documented visual narratives, photography, and cinema, supporting the art of folk tales and storytelling in contemporary forms.