The Juma Al Majid Center for Culture and Heritage in Dubai has won the Arab Book Award in its third cycle, under the Achievement category, in recognition of its outstanding efforts to serve the Arab book and preserve intellectual heritage. This award came as a culmination of the center's scientific and cultural achievements, having published a number of valuable books with diverse topics covering manuscript heritage, history, literature, and poetry. The award was received by the center's Director General, Dr. Muhammad Kamil Jad, during the official ceremony held the day before yesterday in the Qatari capital, Doha, where Sheikh Thani bin Hamad Al Thani, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Qatar Development Fund, honored the winners from among creators and institutions. The Arab Book Award, launched by Qatar in March 2023, aims to honor researchers, publishing houses, and institutions contributing to the Arab book industry, encourage authorship in the Arabic language, and support knowledge production in the fields of humanities, social sciences, and Sharia law. In turn, the Secretary-General of the Award, Hassan Al-Nimah, stated that "the award represents a bridge for intellectual and knowledge-based communication among the nation's scholars, and a beacon that illuminates the paths of literature, science, and art, enhancing the presence of the Arab book both Arabically and globally." Meanwhile, the Executive Director of the Arab Book Award, Dr. Naji Sharif, expressed his satisfaction with the outcomes of the third cycle, noting that the results were distinguished, especially as the judging process was entrusted to an elite group of specialized thinkers, each an expert in their field. It is worth mentioning that the third cycle of the award witnessed wide participation from more than 41 Arab and foreign countries, with the number of nominations exceeding one thousand, reflecting the award's status and its role in supporting the Arab book industry, fostering cultural dialogue, and establishing standards of quality and creativity in diverse intellectual fields, moving beyond traditional frameworks.
