Sharjah International Book Fair Honors Winners of Its 44th Edition and Celebrates the Cultural Personality of the Fair

In a distinguished cultural event, the Sharjah International Book Fair hosted the activities of its 44th edition, honoring this year’s award winners and showcasing the achievements that reflect the fair’s impact on the cultural landscape. Under the theme “Between You and Me is the Book,” activities at Expo Sharjah will continue until November 16, contributing to enhancing Sharjah’s status as the capital of culture.

Awards of the 44th Edition

During the event, Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Book Authority, honored the winners of the 44th edition awards. This year saw a notable increase in submissions, exceeding 2,076, from Emirati, Arab, and international authors.

Among the winners, writer Nadia Al-Najjar received the “Best Emirati Book of 2025” award for her novel “The Texture of Light,” while Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali won the “Studies Category” award from Trends Research and Consulting for his book “The Era of Pearls: From Poverty to Prosperity.” In the literary creativity category, Dr. Abdulhakim Al-Zubaidi was awarded for his play “Nights of Cordoba.”

Arab Children’s Literature Awards

The winners of the “International Award for Arab Children’s Literature,” presented by the UAE Board on Books for Young People, were also honored. The awards covered multiple categories, with the book “Tomorrow is Another Day” winning in the early childhood category, along with other books in various categories that reflect the diversity of children’s literary creativity.

Cultural Personality of the Fair

In the context of the celebration, Egyptian novelist Mohamed Salmawy was honored as the cultural personality of the current edition. Salmawy expressed his pride in being recognized by Sharjah, a city that symbolizes Arab culture. He discussed the importance of culture in preserving Arab identity, emphasizing the need to blend thought and reality in his literary works.

The Sharjah International Book Fair derives its strength from being a platform that celebrates talent and literary creativity, as clearly demonstrated by the spotlight on this year’s winners. This celebration serves as further evidence of Sharjah’s deep commitment to promoting knowledge and culture in the Middle East.