Doha, December 12 (QNA) - On behalf of HH the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, HE Sheikh Thani bin Hamad Al-Thani on Tuesday honored the winners of the 9th Sheikh Hamad Award for Translation and International Understanding.

A number of Their Excellencies Sheikhs and Ministers, members of diplomatic missions accredited to the State, and the ceremony guests, including writers, translators and researchers attended the ceremony at the Grand Hyatt Hotel.

For the Translation from Arabic into Spanish Category, Jaime Sanchez Ratia secured the first place for translating Muhammad Ibn Yahya as-Suli's Akhbar Abi Tammam. Noemi Fierro Bandera came second for translating Alaa Al Aswany's "The Republic of False Truths', while the third place prize went to both Pedro Buendia Pérez for translating 'Squaring And Rotation' by Al Jahiz, and Angelina Gutierrez Almanera, for translating Feminism in Qatari Women's poetry, by Hessa Al Mansouri.

In the Translation from Spanish into Arabic Category, the first place was shared by Nadia Al Ashiri and Muhammad Barada for translating Luce Lopez-Baralt's "The Secret Literature of the Last Muslims of Spain" and Mark Jamal for translating Gabriel Garcia Marquez's "The Autumn of the Patriarch".

Hassan Al Yazighi Al Zahir, Sophia Vassallo and James Montgomery shared the second place in the Translation from Arabic into English category, while the first-place prize was withheld. Alessandro Colombo and Mireya Costa shared the third-place prize.

For the Translation from English into Arabic category, the first place was withheld, while the second-place prize was shared by Ahmed Mahmoud Ibrahim and Mahmoud Muhammad Al Harthani. Dr. Ibrahim Al Furaih and Dr. Youmna Tarif Al Khouli shared the third-place prize.

In the Achievement Category (Spanish language), HE Sheikh Thani bin Hamad Al-Thani honored José Miguel Puerta, Islamic Culture Foundation (FUNCI), Basam Al Bazzaz, Mamdouh Adwan Publishing House, El Colegio de Mexico's Centre for Studies of Asia and Africa , and the Toledo School of Translators.

Abdullah bin Nasser Al Waleei claimed The Achievement Category (English language), the Islamic Center for Scientific Research and Abdul Hayy Abro (Sindhi language), Farah Muhammad Ahmed and Abdul Aziz Hassan Yaqoub (Somali language) and Tzvetan Theofanov, Department of Arabic and Semitic Studies at Sofia University (Bulgarian language).

The Sheikh Hamad Award for Translation and International Understanding offered incentive awards to Madarat for Research and Publishing, and Indonesian translator Dr. Aisha Yakan. (QNA)