Doha: The Arab Book Award announced that January 27, 2026, will mark the announcement of the winners and their crowning in its third iteration.
The ceremony will be attended by dignitaries, as well as a contingent of academics and intellectuals from Qatar and across the Arab world.
Professor Dr. Hanan Al Fayyad, Media Advisor for the award, stated that the award's scientific committee observed broad participation in this iteration, with researchers from 41 countries around the globe.
She clarified that the nominations spanned the various knowledge fields of the award, including literary and critical studies of Arab heritage up to the end of the 10th Hijri century, as well as social and philosophical studies.
She further noted that this iteration was specifically dedicated to thoughtful and economic studies.
In the field of historical studies, the current iteration is devoted to Arab and Islamic history from the end of the sixth Hijri century until the end of the twelfth Hijri century, with the domain of Sharia sciences and Islamic studies devoted to the Prophetic biography and Hadith studies.
Meanwhile, the award will focus in the field of lexicons, encyclopedias, and textual verification on the verification of linguistic texts, serving as a clear indicator of the widening scope of participation and the diversification of its fields, Dr. Al Fayyad highlighted.
She further indicated that the award's scientific committee observed a remarkable and competitive scientific level in certain fields, notably in literary criticism and historical studies.
The judging process was conducted according to the approved timetable and followed meticulous procedures to ensure the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and scientific accuracy.
Concurrently with the winners' coronation ceremony, the award will hold a specialized scientific symposium featuring a select panel of writers and researchers to explore issues related to the Arab book and its relationship with cultural identity, as part of a broader effort to reinforce thoughtful dialogue and deepen the award's role as an active institution supporting Arab intellectual production.
Dr. Al Fayyad also emphasized the award's role in promoting cultural diplomacy through tours across several Arab capitals, aiming to bolster Qatar's presence in a variety of Arab cultural fora.
These efforts, she said, aim to connect with innovators and writers and to reach the widest target audiences, Al Fayyad noted, affirming that during this iteration, the award engaged with numerous cultural and academic institutions, as well as linguistic academies, in several countries, most notably Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait.
Established in 2023 under the patronage of HH the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the award carries a total value of USD 1 million.
The prize is distributed across the single book category and the achievement category in five knowledge domains, whose internal specializations are periodically rotated.
