Sheikh Zayed Book Award Competition with Prizes of Up to AED 1 Million – 2027
Applicant criteria
- No specific age required
- Both
Opportunity criteria
Opportunity description
The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre has opened nominations for the 21st edition of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award 2026–2027, one of the most prominent international competitions and awards celebrating outstanding literary, intellectual, and cultural achievements. The award supports authors, translators, researchers, publishers, and cultural institutions from around the world.
The award accepts submissions across nine competitive categories, in addition to the Cultural Personality of the Year category. The fields include literature, children’s and young adult literature, translation, young author, manuscript editing and lexicography, arts and critical studies, Arab culture in other languages, development and nation-building, and publishing and cultural technologies.
The total value of the awards is AED 7.75 million. The winner of each of the nine competitive categories receives AED 750,000, while the recipient of the Cultural Personality of the Year award receives AED 1 million. Each winner also receives a gold medal and a certificate of recognition and is honored at an official ceremony held in conjunction with the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair.
Award Categories
- Literature.
- Children’s and Young Adult Literature.
- Young Author.
- Translation.
- Arab Culture in Other Languages.
- Arts and Critical Studies.
- Editing of Manuscripts, Encyclopedias, and Dictionaries.
- Development and Nation-Building.
- Publishing and Cultural Technologies.
- Cultural Personality of the Year.
Benefits
The winner of each of the nine competitive categories will receive:
- A cash prize of AED 750,000.
- A gold medal bearing the award’s logo.
- A certificate of recognition.
- Formal recognition during an official ceremony in Abu Dhabi.
- Greater literary and cultural visibility for the winning work.
- Access to a wider audience of readers, publishers, and cultural institutions.
The winner of the Cultural Personality of the Year category will receive:
- A cash prize of AED 1,000,000.
- A gold medal.
- A certificate of recognition.
- Formal recognition during the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair.
Eligibility criteria
The nominated work must:
- Have been published within the two years preceding the award cycle.
- Carry a recognized International Standard Book Number (ISBN).
- Not have previously won a major international award.
- Not be submitted to another award during the same year.
- Be the applicant’s only submitted work.
- Be entered in only one category during the award cycle.
- Be original and meet the requirements of the selected category.
- Be written originally in Arabic, except in categories that permit other languages, such as Translation, Arab Culture in Other Languages, and Editing of Manuscripts, Encyclopedias, and Dictionaries.
- Be submitted within the official nomination period.