(MENAFN - Emirates News Agency (WAM))

CAIRO, 8th February, 2018 (WAM) -- The UAE-based Etisalat Award for Arabic Children's Literature, Etisalat Award, has participated in the 49th annual Cairo International Book Fair.

The Etisalat Award is organised by the UAE Board on Books for Young People, UAEBBY, and sponsored by the Etisalat Group. Moderated by media figure, Mohammed Abdo Badawi, the session touched upon various aspects of Arabic children's literature, the role of the Etisalat Award in recognising regional literary excellence, and general trends in the global children's book market.

Welcoming all of the session's attendees, the UAEBBY President, Marwa Al Aqroubi, said, "Being here in Cairo, one of the region's cultural giants, makes us nostalgic about an exciting childhood smitten by the great authors of this country. Our generation has grown up reading Kamel Al Kilani and Abdel Wahab El Messiri, and comprehended the aesthetics of Arabic language and literature through Hafez Ibrahim's and Ahmed Shawqi's poems, and Naguib Mahfouz's prose."

"The Etisalat Award was launched in 2009 by Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, Founder and Patron of the UAEBBY, with the key theme ‘Nurture their Imagination Encourage their Dreams'. The award's ongoing objective is to support and encourage children's books authors, illustrators and publishers to offer high quality books with quality content and illustrations. The award also aims to foster an environment that ignites and supports children's imaginations and instill in them a love of reading."

Eman Mohammed, Programmes and Award Executive at the UAEBBY, listed the Award's details, highlighting the many developments it has experienced since inception. First valued at AED1,000,000, and given to a single book in the first four editions, the Etisalat Award grew to feature five categories starting its fifth edition, which helped recognise all contributors to children's literature authors, illustrators and publishers. In 2017, it introduced the ‘Digital Book App of the Year' category, taking the cumulative value of the Awards up to AED1,200,000.

Since its inception, a total of 99 books were shortlisted to win over the years, out of which 27 books have won the award, with Egypt coming in the second place after Lebanon in terms of number of submissions.

WAM/Rasha Abubaker/Esraa Ismail

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