KUWAIT CITY, 3 February 2020 – The Abdulaziz Saud AlBabtain Cultural Foundation has announced the winners of the 17th session of the Abdulaziz Saud AlBabtain Prize for Poetic Creativity. Prizes totalling 135,000 USD have been awarded to nine poets and critics from seven countries.
The Honorary Award, valued at 50,000 USD, was awarded to the Syrian poet Mustafa Akrama in recognition of his poetic career.
The Poetry Criticism Prize, valued at 40,000 USD, was shared between Dr Youssef Wghlissi of Algeria, for Thematic Analysis and Poetic Discourse, and Dr Ahmad Al‑Zoubi of Jordan, for Manifestations of Contemporary Poetry.
The Best Poetry Collection Prize, valued at 20,000 USD, was shared between Abdulaziz Al‑Hammami of Tunisia, for Hadeel Al‑Ghayma, and Abdullah Al‑Shorbagi of Egypt, for The Two Lovers.
The Best Poem Prize, valued at 10,000 USD, was shared between Kawthar Al‑Zein of Tunisia, for Shatahat, and Najoud Al‑Qadi of Yemen, for Tomorrow Outside the Text.
The Best Poetry Collection Prize for poets under 35, valued at 10,000 USD, was awarded to Ibaa Al‑Khatib of Syria for With What Wound Do I Touch You.
The Best Poem Prize for poets under 35, valued at 5,000 USD, was awarded to Ali Hassan Ibrahim Salman of Bahrain.