The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Center organizes the literary forum for the award "Poker" Global
ABU DHABI, 13 APRIL / WAM / The Abu Dhabi Center for the Arabic Language, in cooperation with the Literary Forum Salon, organized a literary forum, at the Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum, to discuss works included in the shortlist for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction “Booker”, with the participation of 16 reading clubs and cultural salons.
The organization of the forum stemmed from the Center’s interest in supporting the cultural scene and enhancing the presence of the Arabic novel in spaces of discussion and analysis, in line with the UAE’s trends in investing in culture and knowledge, and consolidating Abu Dhabi’s position as a global center for literary creativity and a major tributary in building a reading and thought-producing society.
The forum witnessed six dialogue sessions that explored the features of contemporary Arab narrative through in-depth critical insights into the shortlisted works. They addressed their artistic structure, narrative styles, intellectual issues, and the cultural contexts to which they belong, with the aim of anticipating current trends in the Arabic novel and highlighting the diversity and richness of its experiences.
The sessions witnessed a distinguished interaction between critics and writers, on the one hand, and the reading public and those interested in literary affairs, whose number exceeded 130, belonging to 16 reading clubs and literary salons in the country. They exchanged visions and raised serious questions about the wide spectrum of intellectual and philosophical propositions and the social and political issues addressed by the six novels.
His Excellency Saeed Hamdan Al Tunaiji, Executive Director of the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Center, said: Organizing this forum comes within the framework of the Center’s keenness to develop qualitative cultural platforms that contribute to deepening literary dialogue, enhancing the presence of the Arabic novel in the cultural scene, and providing spaces for discussion and analysis that keep pace with the development of the Arabic narrative and the diversity of its experiences, in a way that supports the Center’s objectives in disseminating knowledge, encouraging reading, and consolidating the use of the Arabic language.
He added: The forum enhances the impact of the community campaign to support sustainable reading, which the Center launched its second session this year, in line with the principles and values of the Year of the Family. The organization of its sessions and the selection of participants in the readings took into account the opportunity for everyone to follow, participate, and interact with critics and writers, in qualitative discussions about the novels included on the short list, as they represent the most prominent contemporary literary works, which contributes to raising the level of critical awareness, supporting the sustainability of the cultural movement, and enhancing the role of literary salons as effective platforms in Enriching cultural dialogue.
The shortlist for this year’s International Prize for Arabic Fiction included six novels: “The Origin of Species” by Ahmed Abdel Latif from Egypt, “A Sleep of the Night” by Amin Al-Zawi from Algeria, “A Cloud Above My Head” by Doaa Ibrahim from Egypt, “A Most Downstream of the River” by Saeed Khatibi from Algeria, “The Seer” by Diaa Gebeili from Iraq, and “Ghaibat Mai” by Najwa Barakat from Lebanon, a list that reflects the diversity of Arab narrative experiences. The diversity of issues it addresses include identity, social and political transformations, and the complex relationship between reality, narrative, and other trends and ideas.
The forum witnessed a live broadcast of the ceremony announcing the Algerian writer Saeed Khatibi’s win of the International Prize for Arabic Fiction “Booker” at its 19th session in 2026 for his novel “Aghlab Downstream.”
The award is considered one of the most prominent literary awards allocated to novels in the Arabic language, as it is worth fifty thousand US dollars for the winning novel, while each writer who reaches the short list receives ten thousand dollars. It is sponsored by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, represented by the Abu Dhabi Center for the Arabic Language, in confirmation of the emirate’s commitment to supporting literary creativity and enhancing the status of Arab writers.
By organizing such events, the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Center continues its efforts to make knowledge available, encourage reading, enhance the use of the Arabic language scientifically, educationally, culturally, and creatively, and enrich its presence in the global civilizational dialogue.
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