Doha, March 03 (QNA) - The State of Qatar has launched the 'Doha Arabic Book Award' as part of its leading efforts to support Arab culture and honor its contributors.

The award, held under the patronage of HH the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, aims to enrich the Arab library by encouraging individuals and institutions to present the best intellectual production, honoring and publicizing serious studies, and commending the efforts of their authors. It also aims to support leading publishing houses in improving the quality of Arabic books in form and content.

The official announcement of the award was made at a ceremony held at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Doha on Sunday. The ceremony included an introduction to the award in its inaugural session and the announcement of the opening of the nomination process through the official website of the first session of the award, starting Tuesday and continuing until June 5.

Dr. Abdul Wahid Al Alami, Executive Director of the Doha Arabic Book Award, said that the award aims to appreciate the efforts of researchers and to highlight their scientific, intellectual, and cognitive achievements.

He added that the award's mission is to contribute to enriching the Arab library by encouraging individuals and institutions to present the best intellectual production in the social sciences and humanities, honoring and publicizing serious studies and commending the efforts of their authors, and supporting leading publishing houses to improve the quality of Arabic books in form and content. He stressed that the award came in line with the wise policy of the State of Qatar, which is aware of the importance of science and culture in development. He also praised the efforts of the State of Qatar in its noble quest to honor science and scholars.

Dr. Al Alami said that the award has chosen to honor 10 winners in its inaugural session for 2024. They are a group of specialists in the humanities and Islamic sciences who have enriched the Arab library with solid scientific works, philosophical and historical treatises, and valuable research studies. The honorees include Dr. Mustafa Aqil Al Khatib (from Qatar), Dr. Ayman Fouad Sayed (from Egypt), Dr. Gerard Gihami (from Lebanon), Dr. Saad Al Bazie (from Saudi Arabia), Dr. Taha Abdel Rahman (from Morocco), Dr. Ghanem Qadouri Al Hamd (from Iraq), Dr. Fihaa Abdel Hadi (from Palestine), Dr. Qutb Mustafa Sanu (from Guinea), Dr. Mohammed Mohammed Abu Musa (from Egypt), and Dr. Noureddine Saiduni (from Algeria).

For his part, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Sheikh Hamad Award for Translation and International Understanding, Dr. Hassan Al Naama said that the new award is a generous initiative from HH the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani to promote intellectual values and culture. He stressed that the State of Qatar, with this award, adds to its contributions to humanity in promoting its tolerant values.

Dr. Al Naama expressed hope that the award will allow book lovers to explore the spaces of creativity, restore the book to its rightful place, and support the Arab nation in catching up with the train of civilization. (QNA)