Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi awarded SIBF 2025 winners as the book fair opened with over 2,000 literary entries from around the world.
SHARJAH: Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Book Authority, honoured the winners of the Sharjah International Book Fair 2025 (SIBF) Awards on Wednesday during a prestigious ceremony marking the opening of the fair’s 44th edition at Expo Centre Sharjah.
Held under the theme “Between You and a Book”, SIBF 2025 runs until November 16 and saw a record-breaking 2,076 entries. This includes 184 submissions from Emirati authors, 1,339 from Arab writers, 454 from international participants, and 99 entries for the renowned Turjuman Award.
The event commenced with a keynote speech by Khoula Al Mujaini, General Coordinator of SIBF, who highlighted the cultural vision launched by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah. She noted the consistent support of Sheikha Bodour, which has helped nurture a cultural landscape connecting language and literature to everyday life.
Among the key winners was Nadia Al Najjar, who received the Best Emirati Book (Novel) Award for “The Texture of Light.” Other notable recipients included Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali for the Best Emirati Academic Book, and Dr. Abdul Hakim Al Zubaidi for Best Emirati Creative Literature (Theatre). The Best Emirati First Novel Award was presented to Asmaa Al Hamli for “The Sand Tribe.”
The Best Arabic Novel went to Abdelaziz Ait Bensalah for “House of Life”, while Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu’s “The Creation of Half-Broken People” earned the Best Foreign Book (Fiction). In the non-fiction category, Sunita Krishnan’s “I Am What I Am” was recognised.
Honours also extended to publishing houses, with Nabti Publishing House winning Best Local Publisher, Dar Al Ahlia Bookstore for Best Arabic Publishing House, and Penguin Random House receiving the Best Foreign Publisher award.
In addition to individual accolades, Sheikha Bodour acknowledged the fair’s partners, including e&, Arada, Invest Bank, Bank of Sharjah, and Sharjah Broadcasting Authority, among others, for their ongoing support in promoting cultural exchange.
