Minister of Environment and Climate Change H E Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Subaie with General Manager of the Katara Cultural Village Foundation Professor Dr. Khalid bin Ibrahim Al-Sulaiti and other dignitaries at the event.
Doha: The Katara Cultural Village Foundation announced the winners of the 12th edition of the Katara Prize for Arabic Novel during a ceremony held at the Katara Opera House. The event was attended by several ministers, ambassadors, diplomatic representatives, writers, intellectuals, media figures and members of the public.
In the published Arabic novels category, the winners are Samar Nour of Egypt for ‘Asha the Scarab and the Moon’, Maha Abdulaziz Abdullah Al-Yamani of Saudi Arabia for ‘My Hands Do Not Tremble’, and Muhannad Rajab Al-Dabi of Sudan for ‘The Siege of Gazelle Waw’. Each receives $30,000, with their novels to be translated into English.
In the unpublished novels category, Sarah Selti of Algeria won for ‘We Might Meet’, Huda Al-Mashharawi of Palestine for ‘Death Has Another Day’, and Nasser Al-Sharif of Saudi Arabia for ‘The Voice That Never Reached Ziryab’. Each also receives $30,000, with their works to be published and translated into English.
Three critics were honoured in the studies and literary criticism category: Dr. Amal Younis Muhammad Irheim of Palestine for her study on contemporary Arabic novels and cinema focusing on Destinies (Masa’ir); Dr. Hamid El-Kattani of Morocco for ‘The Arabic Novel on the Threshold of Development’; and Dr. Mahmoud Farghali of Egypt for ‘Representations of the Environment in the Novel’. Each receives $30,000, and the prize committee will oversee the printing, publication and marketing of the studies.
In the young adult novels category, the winners are Khadija Telli of Algeria for ‘The Tailor of Tolga’, Dr. Manal Taha Ahmed Al-Jarash of Yemen for ‘Sunglasses’, and Hany El-Qot of Egypt for ‘The Kingdom of Stone’. Each receives $15,000, with their works to be printed and published.
Noha Fahim of Egypt won in the unpublished historical novels category for ‘Sunset at the Alcazar’, while Khalaf Al-Khalaf was recognised in the Qatari novels (published) category for ‘The Covenant and the Pact’.
General Manager of the Katara Cultural Village Foundation Professor Dr. Khalid bin Ibrahim Al-Sulaiti congratulated the winners, describing them as ambassadors of the Arabic word and culture. He noted that their contributions would enrich the Arabic literary canon and encouraged those who did not win this year to continue participating, affirming that participation itself is a victory for culture and the Arabic language.
Al-Sulaiti highlighted that the 12th edition recorded a record 2,610 entries, the highest since the prize’s inception. This included 1,488 unpublished novels, underscoring Katara’s role as a key platform for young and emerging writers. Participation from the Gulf region reached 245 entries, reflecting the growth of Gulf narrative literature, alongside strong representation from Egypt, Sudan, the Levant, the Maghreb and non-Arab countries.
Director-General of ALECSO H E Dr. Mohamed Ould Amar expressed deep gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar, for his patronage of culture and creativity. He praised Qatar’s pioneering role in advancing Arab culture and providing platforms for intellectual exchange.
