Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre Reveals Kanz Al Jeel Award's New Committee

The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC) has revealed the members of the Higher Committee for the third cycle of the Kanz Al Jeel award. This committee includes prominent intellectuals, literary figures, and academics. Abdulla Majed Al Ali, Director-General of the National Library and Archives, chairs the committee.

The committee features Emirati poet Obaid Al Qathlan Al Mazrouei, Kuwaiti researcher Dr. Abdullah Ghliss, Prof. Dr. Aysha Alshamsi, an Emirati academic, critic, and poet, and Egyptian composer, artist, and researcher Hassan Zaki. These individuals bring a wealth of expertise to the award's judging process.

Abdulla Majed Al Ali expressed gratitude to his team for their efforts behind the Kanz Al Jeel award. He stated, "I thank the entire team behind the distinguished Kanz Al Jeel award. I am confident that this award will become a beacon of creativity and excellence, spotlighting talented poets, and strengthening the literary heritage of Nabati poetry."

Kanz Al Jeel accepts submissions in six categories. The Poetry Matching category honours a poem that matches a specific work by Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. The Creative Personality category recognises significant contributions to Nabati poetry and related fields such as music, singing, painting, and Arabic calligraphy.

The Arts category awards artworks that interpret Sheikh Zayed’s poetry using tools like Arabic calligraphy or visual arts. The Studies and Research category focuses on published studies examining Nabati poetry's styles, content, and lexicon with a scientific approach.

Honouring Nabati Poetry

The Poetic Publications category awards original Nabati poetry collections in form and content. The Translation category is dedicated to translating Sheikh Zayed’s poems into other languages or recognising significant contributions to translating Arabic poetry into other languages.

Kanz Al Jeel was launched by ALC in 2021 to honour works related to Nabati poetry. It aims to highlight this poetic tradition's heritage and values. Named after a poem by Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, it seeks to advance poetry as a societal mirror.

Abdulla Majed Al Ali also encouraged poets and enthusiasts to participate actively in the award. He said he hopes it will spark greater interest in Nabati poetry while supporting poetic creativity in the region.

The Kanz Al Jeel award celebrates scholars and creators who have made notable contributions to preserving Nabati poetry's heritage. This annual accolade underscores its importance in Emirati and Arab culture.

By spotlighting talented poets through various categories, Kanz Al Jeel aims to strengthen Nabati poetry's literary heritage. It also seeks to support poetic creativity across different artistic fields.

With inputs from WAM