Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Center Reveals Shortlists for Sard Al Thahab Award

A total of 15 works from eight countries have been selected to compete across four categories. WAM
A total of 15 works from eight countries have been selected to compete across four categories. WAM
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Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Center Reveals Shortlists for Sard Al Thahab Award

A total of 15 works from eight countries have been selected to compete across four categories. WAM
A total of 15 works from eight countries have been selected to compete across four categories. WAM

The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC) has unveiled the shortlists for the second edition of the Sard Al Thahab Award, Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported Wednesday.

A total of 15 works from eight countries have been selected to compete across four categories: ‘Short Story for Published Stories’, ‘Popular Narratives’, ‘Short Story for Unpublished Stories’, and ‘Illustrated Story,’ WAM said.

In addition to these, the center will announce the winners in the ‘Narrators’ and ‘Emirati Narration’ categories, along with the winners in the four categories, over the coming months.

The shortlist features works from the UAE, Bahrain, Iraq, Sudan, Syria, Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia. The increase in the number of participating countries highlights the award's rapid expansion and its capacity to attract creative talents across its six categories.

The shortlist for the ‘Short Story for Published Stories’ category is: ‘The Two Sisters’ by Ali AlAbdan from the UAE, published in 2023 by the Emirates Writers Union; ‘The Last Storyteller in This Time’ by Abdulrahman Abbas from Sudan, published in 2023 by Rwafead Publishing & Distribution; and ‘The Green Dragon’s Wife and Other Colourful Tales’ by Rawaa Sunbol from Syria, published in 2019 by Alaan Publishers & Distributors.

The shortlist for the ‘Popular Narratives’ category features: ‘Bahraini Folktales: One Thousand and One Tales’ by Dr. Dheya Abdulla Khamis AlKaabi from Bahrain, published in 2018 by the Arab Institute for Research & Publishing; ‘Encyclopedia of Folktales: One Thousand and Eighty Tales from Northern Upper Egypt’ by Dr. Sayed Fares from Egypt, published in 2023 by the Sharjah Institute for Heritage; and ‘The Hidden Heritage: The Sumerian Legend and the Gulf Novel of the Al-Sirah al-Hilaliyyah’ by Fathy Abdelsamie from Egypt, published in 2024 by Dar Waad for Publishing and Distribution.

The shortlist for the ‘Short Story for Unpublished Stories’ category has five entries: ‘Rooms with People Running Underneath Them’ by the Iraqi writer Yas AlFahdawi; ‘Biography of a Creature’ by the Moroccan writer Said Alfellak; ‘Suspended Souls’ by the Egyptian writer AbdelHady Ibrahim; ‘Judeilah Weather’ by the Egyptian writer Aida Deraman; and ‘Al Hashashat’ by the Tunisian writer Nasr Sami.

The shortlist for the ‘Illustrated Story’ category has four works: a documentary film titled ‘Tifan’ by Aaesha Alteneiji from the UAE; a photograph titled ‘Grandma’s Stories’ by Nuwair Alhajeri from the UAE; a photograph titled ‘Wife’s Loyalty’ by Issa Mohamed from Bahrain; and a drawing titled ‘Antara and Abla’ by Mahmood Shubbar from Iraq.

The jury selected the nominated works based on their alignment with the award's standards and objectives, reinforcing the award's commitment to excellence and fostering creativity in the literary field.

The Sard Al Thahab Award is an annual initiative launched by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Center. Its objectives are inspired by the poetry of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Father of the Nation. The award aims to serve as a platform that merges creativity with intellectual thought, fostering an artistic movement that draws upon Sheikh Zayed’s creative legacy as a foundation for new forms of creativity.



Ancient Statue Returns to Türkiye 65 Years Later

FILE PHOTO: People enjoy the sunset in Ankara, Türkiye January 4, 2022. REUTERS/Cagla Gurdogan/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: People enjoy the sunset in Ankara, Türkiye January 4, 2022. REUTERS/Cagla Gurdogan/File Photo
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Ancient Statue Returns to Türkiye 65 Years Later

FILE PHOTO: People enjoy the sunset in Ankara, Türkiye January 4, 2022. REUTERS/Cagla Gurdogan/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: People enjoy the sunset in Ankara, Türkiye January 4, 2022. REUTERS/Cagla Gurdogan/File Photo

Türkiye has repatriated an ancient statue believed to depict Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius from the United States as part of efforts to recover antiquities illegally removed from the country, the government announced on Saturday.

The bronze statue, smuggled from the ancient city of Boubon -- now the province of Burdur in southwest Türkiye -- in the 1960s, was returned to Türkiye after 65 years, according to Turkish officials.

"It was a long struggle. We were right, we were determined, we were patient, and we won," AFP quoted Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Ersoy as saying.

"We brought the 'Philosopher Emperor' Marcus Aurelius back to the land where he belongs," he added.

This unique artifact, once exhibited in the United States, was repatriated to Türkiye based on scientific analyses, archival documents and witness statements, added the minister.

"Through the combined power of diplomacy, law, and science, the process we conducted with the New York Manhattan District Attorney's Office and the US Homeland Security Investigations Unit is more than just a repatriation; it is a historical achievement," Ersoy said.

"Marcus Aurelius's return to our country is a concrete result of our years-long pursuit of justice."

The headless statue had been on display at the Cleveland Museum of Art from April to July, before its return to Türkiye.

Ersoy said Türkiye was determined to protect all its cultural heritage that has been smuggled out.

"We will soon present the Philosopher Emperor to the people of (Türkiye's capital) Ankara in a surprise exhibition," he announced.