The Emirates Opens Participation for the International Award for Arabic Children’s Literature Worth 1.2 Million Dirhams
The Emirati Board on Youth Literature has announced that it will continue to accept submissions for the International Award for Arabic Children’s Literature in its seventeenth edition until August 31, 2025. The call is directed to authors, illustrators, and publishers from around the world to submit their creative works in Arabic through the official website of the award, as part of the effort to support Arabic creativity and enhance the presence of Arabic literature aimed at children and young adults in the global cultural landscape.
The award, which is organized by the Emirates and endorsed by the “E &” company, has become one of the prominent initiatives focusing on Arabic children’s literature. Since its inception in 2009, it has served as a platform for discovering talents and motivating publishing houses to produce content that values quality and innovation while preserving the cultural identity of the region. This comprehensive vision, combining the depth of the message with the richness of the language, is reflected in the number of publications from Arabic publishing houses in recent years.
The total value of the award reaches 1.2 million dirhams, distributed across five main categories covering age groups from 5 to 18 years old. The prizes are equally divided among the author, illustrator, and publisher in four categories, while the Young Adult category is awarded to the author and publisher only. The award administration has also allocated 300,000 dirhams to support specialized training programs aimed at developing young talents in writing, illustration, and publishing for children, according to international standards that enhance the Arab cultural identity.
This year’s open categories include “Early Childhood” from birth to 5 years, “Picture Books” for ages 5 to 9, “Chapter Books” for children aged 9 to 12, and “Young Adult Books” for the age group from 13 to 18. A variable category is also dedicated to nonfiction books that offer content stimulating curiosity and critical thinking in innovative and engaging ways.
The award sets stringent criteria for selecting works; they must be original, written in Arabic, published in print in the last five years, and not previously awarded or infringing on publishing and intellectual property rights. Manuscripts, educational books, series, and electronic or audio publications are not accepted, and submissions must be made through registered publishing houses. Works that do not meet the criteria will be automatically disqualified, with the judging panel retaining the right to withhold the award if necessary.
The Emirati Board urges those working in the Arabic children’s book industry to seize this opportunity and contribute to building a generation of readers who cherish their mother tongue. Submissions can be made via the website: https://uaebby.org.ae/iaacl along with an image of the book and all required information.
Winners will be announced during the opening ceremony of the Sharjah International Book Fair 2025, in a cultural celebration gathering writers, publishers, and book creators from various countries. This step reaffirms the UAE’s commitment to enhancing Arab children’s culture and supporting the publishing industry in the region.
Previously known as the “Etisalat Award for Children’s Book,” the award has established itself since 2009 as the most important Arabic award in this field. The fifth category changes every two years to ensure diversity in content and relevance to cultural transformations.
