Sheikh Zayed Book Award names Saudi Arabia's Abdullah Al Ghathami as Cultural Focus Personality of the Year

• Published date: 19 May 2022
• Publication title: LETA

The Sheikh Zayed Book Award (SZBA) - organised by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), part of the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), has named Dr. Abdullah Al Ghathami as the Cultural Focus Personality for its 16th edition in recognition of his notable contributions to cultural movements in the region and the Arab world.

The SZBA Scientific Committee and its Board of Trustees chose Dr. Al Ghathami for his efforts in the fields of cultural criticism, women's studies, poetry and critical thinking. Since the mid-1980s, he has spearheaded a major shift in the Arab critical discourse.

The series of books he authored - notably, Al-Khatee'a wal Takfeer (Sin and Atonement); AlNaqed Al Thaqafi fee Qera'at Al Ansaq Al Thaqafiya (Cultural Criticism and the Reading of Arab Cultural Discourses); Tashreeh an-Nass (Anatomy of a Text); Al-Mawqif min al-Hadatha (The Attitude Towards Modernity), and Al-Kitaba Did al-Kitaba (Writing Against Writing), among others - helped strengthen the foundations of modern Arab literary and cultural criticism, opening new paths to discuss poetic heritage and modern creative Arabic works by reinterpreting them from a critical perspective.

Dr. Al Ghathami was one of the pioneers of a form of modernity that does not advocate a break in knowledge, but rather stems from a belief in rereading heritage works with a critical methodology that enriches it and sheds light on its creativity.

Dr. Ali Bin Tamim, SZBA Secretary General and Chairman of the ALC, said, "The Sheikh Zayed Book Award is celebrating a renowned and highly accomplished literary figure today, one with an extensive history and commendable dedication, who led the charge in underlining the significant role that criticism plays in the broader cultural movement. With his discerning and deeply knowledgeable vision, Dr. Al Ghathami highlighted the accomplishments of Arab culture. He delved deep into its sciences, drew from its theories, and presented modern and...