SBA Invites Submissions For The Prestigious Sharjah International Book Fair Awards 2025

The Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) has begun accepting entries for the Sharjah International Book Fair Awards 2025. Submissions are open until 15th September. These awards celebrate authors and publishers who have made significant contributions to both Arab and international cultural landscapes through their literary and academic works.

Reflecting SBA's dedication to nurturing knowledge and creativity, the awards align with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah. They underscore Sharjah's role as a global leader in publishing and creative industries, promoting literary output locally, regionally, and internationally.

The awards are divided into four main categories: the Sharjah Award for Emirati Books, the Sharjah Award for the Best Arabic Novel, the Sharjah Award for the Best International Book, and the Sharjah Publisher Recognition Award. Together, these categories offer a prize fund of AED 625,000.

The Sharjah Award for Emirati Books celebrates local literary excellence with four subcategories. It offers a total prize value of AED300,000. The Best Emirati Novel and Best Emirati Academic Book each receive AED100,000. Meanwhile, AED50,000 is awarded to both the Best Emirati Creative Literature Book (Theatrical Texts) and the Best Emirati First Novel.

The Sharjah Award for the Best Arabic Novel honours outstanding Arabic fiction with a prize of AED150,000. This amount is shared equally between the author and publisher. The award recognises works that showcase originality, creativity, and engagement with contemporary Arab issues.

For books published in English, the Sharjah Award for the Best International Book offers a total of AED100,000. This is split equally between two subcategories: Best International Fiction Book and Best International Non-Fiction Book. These categories acknowledge exceptional fictional works like novels and stories as well as non-fictional literature.

Publisher Recognition

The Sharjah Publisher Recognition Award acknowledges excellence in publishing with a total value of AED75,000. It includes three subcategories: Best Local Publisher House, Best Arab Publisher, and Best International Publisher. Each category receives AED25,000.

SBA encourages creatives, authors, and publishers to participate in these prestigious awards. By doing so, they contribute to establishing Sharjah as a global centre for literature, publishing, and book culture.

Applications remain open until 15th September. All submissions must adhere to eligibility criteria that focus on contributions to literature and publishing industries.

With inputs from WAM