Regulation of the Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Award
Chapter One
Titles and Definitions
In this Regulation, and unless the context otherwise requires, the following words and expressions shall have the meanings assigned to each of them:
- The Ruler: His Highness, the Ruler of Dubai.
- The State: The United Arab Emirates.
- The Foundation: The Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Foundation.
- The Articles of Association: The Articles of Association of the Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Foundation.
- The State: The United Arab Emirates.
- The Foundation: The Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Foundation.
- The Articles of Association: The Articles of Association of the Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Foundation.
- The Board: The Board of Trustees of the Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Foundation.
- The General Secretariat: The General Secretariat of the Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Foundation.
- The Regulation: The Regulation of the Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Award.
- The Secretary General: The Secretary General of the Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Foundation.
Chapter Two
Name of the Award
The Award shall be known as the “Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Award.”
Chapter Three
Objectives of the Award
The Award aims to encourage and honor Arab writers, authors, intellectuals, and scholars, in recognition of their role in promoting intellectual and scientific advancement in the fields of culture, literature, and science across the Arab world.
Chapter Four
Definition of the Award
- The Award shall be granted once every two years to a number of Arab writers and intellectuals for their contributions in the fields of fiction, drama, poetry, literary and critical studies, human and future studies, and translation, provided that their works occupy a distinguished position in the realm of cultural and creative production in thought and literature.
Such works must reflect the authenticity of Arab thought, embody the aspirations of the Arab nation, and have a clear and positive impact on cultural, literary, and scientific life. - The criteria for granting the Award shall be based solely on creative merit, without regard to the political affiliations or intellectual beliefs of the nominees, and without discrimination based on color, gender, or religion.
- The Award shall remain independent and impartial, and the process of granting it shall be free from any influence or pressure of any kind.
Chapter Five
Fields of the Award
The Award shall be divided into five categories, as follows:
- First Category – Poetry
The Award shall be granted to one poet and may be shared jointly between two recipients. - Second Category – Story, Novel, or Drama
The Award shall be granted to one winner from among these three literary genres, and may be shared jointly between two winners, whether from the same genre or two different genres. - Third Category – Literary and Critical Studies
The Award shall be granted to one winner in the field of literary or critical studies, and may be shared jointly between two winners, whether of the same gender or different genders. - Fourth Category – Human and Future Studies
The Award shall be granted to one winner in the field of human or future studies, and may be shared jointly between two winners, whether of the same gender or different genders. - Fifth Category – Translation
The Award shall be granted for distinguished works and outstanding contributions in the field of translation into Arabic, provided that the translation is characterized by accuracy, Textual integrity, and artistic quality, and that it effectively contributes to enriching Arab knowledge and culture.
The Award in this category may also be shared jointly.
Chapter Six
Administration of the Award
- The Board of Trustees shall exercise overall supervision over the Award.
- The General Secretariat shall be responsible for the organization and administration of the Award in accordance with its assigned functions and powers.
Chapter Seven
Article (1)
Nomination for the Award
- Nomination for the Award shall be made through literary unions, associations, clubs, cultural bodies and institutions, universities, and institutes.
- Any Arab writer or author who meets the nomination criteria may nominate himself directly for the Award.
- The General Secretariat may accept the nomination of a candidate proposed by a number of Arab writers, authors, and intellectuals of recognized literary and intellectual standing, provided that the number of endorsers shall not be fewer than five (5).
- In each edition, the General Secretariat shall announce the opening and closing dates for nominations, and shall specify the meeting schedules of the Advisory Committees, Jury Committees, and other technical committees.
Article (2)
Eligibility Requirements for Candidates
- The candidate’s creative works must be written in Classical Arabic, and works written in colloquial dialects or in languages other than Arabic shall not be accepted.
- The candidate must specify the literary genre for which he wishes to be nominated, and may not be nominated in more than one category, in accordance with the fields set forth in Chapter Five of this Regulation.
- All works submitted for the Award must be published in book form; typed manuscripts or handwritten works shall not be accepted.
- The nomination must be accompanied by the following:
- (a) A copy of the candidate’s passport or any official identity document;
- (b) The candidate’s curriculum vitae;
- (c) A written consent from the candidate approving his nomination;
- (d) A recent personal photograph; and
- (e) Five complete copies of each of the candidate’s published works.
- (f) The books and documents submitted shall not be returned to the applicants, whether the candidate wins or does not win, and no claims for the return of submitted materials shall be accepted.
Article (3)
Value and Components of the Award
Each winner of the Award shall receive the following:
- A monetary amount determined from the total value of the Award, which amounts to USD 750,000 (Seven Hundred Fifty Thousand United States Dollars) — allocated as USD 150,000 (One Hundred Fifty Thousand United States Dollars) for each of the five fields listed in Chapter Five.
The Board of Trustees may, at its discretion, increase the value of the Award as it deems appropriate, in line with future developments and changes. - A Certificate of Appreciation.
- The Foundation’s Shield.
- The Foundation’s Medal.
Chapter Eight
Judging of the Award
- For each Award edition, the General Secretariat shall form a Jury Committee for the granting of the Award, composed of writers, authors, university professors, and cultural figures of recognized expertise, competence, and integrity.
- The meetings of the Judging Committee shall be chaired by the Secretary General; in his absence, he may delegate a member of the General Secretariat to chair the meetings on his behalf.
- The Committee’s decisions shall be adopted by majority vote. In the event of a tie, the vote of the Secretary General, or of his delegate, shall prevail.
- The names of the Committee members and details of its meetings shall remain confidential throughout the Award edition.
The General Secretariat may, however, announce the names of the Committee members during the closing ceremony. - A separate judging by-law shall be issued to define the functions, duties, and meeting procedures of the Committee.
- The General Secretariat may form an Advisory Committee composed of experts and specialists representing the fields of the Award, to assist in the screening process.
The General Secretariat shall have the right to endorse or adopt the recommendations of the Advisory Committee as it deems appropriate.
Chapter Nine
Announcement of the Award
- The General Secretariat shall announce the results of the Award’s judging at the conclusion of each edition, within three (3) months from its end, after obtaining the approval of the Board of Trustees.
If circumstances prevent such announcement within the stated period, the General Secretariat shall have the right to set another date for announcing the results. - The General Secretariat shall organize a public ceremony to present the Awards to the winners, and shall determine the date and venue of the ceremony, provided that it shall not exceed three (3) months from the date of the announcement of results.
Chapter Ten
General Provisions
- The Award shall not be granted to any winner more than once.
- The Award shall not be granted to a person who has received another Arab or international Award of a similar nature, unless two (2) Award editions have passed since receiving such Award.
- Nominations shall not be accepted from any former member of the Jury Committees until two (2) Award cycles have elapsed since the end of his term of service on the Committee.
- The Award ceremony may be held in any city within the United Arab Emirates, and may also be held in any Arab or foreign city.
- The Board of Trustees shall have the right to add new cultural fields to the main categories of the Award.
- The Awards may be granted alternately, in order to enhance the prominence and continuity of the Award on an annual basis.
- Any provision of this Regulation that conflicts with the provisions of the Articles of Association shall be deemed null and void, and the Board of Trustees shall have the right to amend this Regulation as it deems appropriate.[1]
[1] The Board of Trustees approved the amendment of the Articles of Association on 5 May 2025.