Egypt’s Culture Min. Announces Winners of 52nd CIBF Competitions

On July 13, Egypt's Minister of Culture Dr. Enas Abdel-Dayem honored Cairo Book Fair 2021 participants during a massive awards ceremony.

The Cultural Awards was handed out at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 13 at Egypt International Exhibition Center House Hall.

The event also included remarks from each of the 2021 award recipients and their colleagues.

The award was given to Karim Bahaa, Mohamed Mahmoud Ibrahim Owais, Ahmed Nagy Ahmed Qamha Ahmed, and Nihad Lotfi Said. Meanwhile, financial rewards were also granted for the shortlisted nominated work to encourage young writers and creative authors.

“We are delighted to announce the winners of this year’s Cultural Awards, featuring inspiring inpiduals and young authors from across the book world. It has been a challenging year for publishing, but these winners demonstrate the passion, dedication, and creativity which make the industry so sustainable," Dr. Haitham Al-Hajj Ali, head of the Egyptian General Authority for Books, told Sada Elbald English (SEE).

"We look forward to seeing what all of the winners of them do next,” the head of the Egyptian Book Authority, added.

The first-place prize for best short story collection made by a young writer went to Mohamed Mohsen for 'Mafish Rakm Beirod'.

Several jury committees of prominent writers; filmmakers; critics and drama professors in Egypt participated in the evaluation of the work that was submitted and the selection of the winners.

In the same context, the literary award includes translating the winning novel into English, covering all contracting costs with a publishing house for the translation, printing, and publishing of the novel.

In the field of playwriting, the first-place award went to Said Fahim for his play ‘Hizam Nasif’', while the Best Children's Book Award went to Bahaa for his book' Intazer Ya Sadiky' (Wait for me, my friend!).

Playwriting Jury: Theatre Director Dr. Amr Fouad Dawara, Prof. Ahmed Nagy Ahmed Qamha Ahmed, and Dr. Nihad Lotfi Said Abu Al-Qumsan.

It's worth mentioning that Cultural Awards was run by The Cairo Book Fair, in partnership with Egypt's Publishers Association, supported by Arabian and international publishers and distributors institutions.