IPAF gives voice to emerging Arab authors through second Nadwa workshop
18 October 2010
Today, Monday 18 October, marks the start of the second annual Nadwa, a writers’ workshop supported by the International Prize for Arabic Fiction (IPAF) and the Emirates Foundation for Philanthropy. Over nine days, seven of the Arab world’s most promising young writers will take part in a workshop in Abu Dhabi under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, the Ruler's Representative in the Western Region.
The workshop forms part of IPAF’s commitment to recognising excellence in Arabic literature – while encouraging an increased international readership through translation. Modelled on other international writing workshops, the Nadwa will give these promising authors the opportunity to develop and discuss their work with their mentors. In due course, their writing will be published in Arabic and English.
The seven selected authors for this year’s nadwa include Wajdi al-Ahdal, a novelist from Yemen, who was selected for Beirut39 - a collaboration between the Hay Festival and Beirut World Capital of the Book 2009.
Other Nadwa participants are: Mariam Al Saedi, a UAE writer who contributed to the collection of translated UAE writing, In a Fertile Desert; Akram Msallam, Palestinian novelist based in Jordan; Rania Mamoun, a Sudanese TV and print journalist; Anis Arrafai, a Moroccan author who specialises in experimental short stories; Lina Hawyana al-Hasan, a published Syrian novelist who specialises in Bedu life and Tareq Emam, a prize-winning Egyptian novelist. The authors range from 32 to 39 years in age.
Over the course of the workshop, each writer will produce a new piece of creative writing, either a short story or a chapter of a novel of around 3,000 words. They will be mentored by Egyptian novelist and journalist Mansoura Ez Eldin, who took part in the Nadwa 2009. Her novel “Beyond Paradise” reached the short list for the IPAF 2010. Lebanese writer Jabbour Douaihy, who was shortlisted for the Prize in 2008 for June Rain, will also mentor Nadwa 2010 for the second year.
Together, they will engage with the participating writers in daily one-to-one sessions. Each evening, the writers will be able to examine others’ work with their peers through a discussion session.
The International Prize for Arabic Fiction (IPAF), which is supported by the Emirates Foundation for Philanthropy, launched its inaugural Nadwa in November 2009. The result was eight pieces of new fiction which will be published in English and Arabic by Dar Al Saqi Books in Emerging Arab Voices 1, to be launched at Sharjah International Book Fair on 27 October 2010 and published in the UK in January 2011.
Peter Clark, IPAF trustee and the Nadwa’s coordinator, commented: “The International Prize for Arabic Fiction is delighted and honoured to promote a second Nadwa for emerging Arab writers. We are grateful to Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan for his generous support for this event.”
Salwa Mikdadi, Head of the Arts and Culture Programme at the Emirates Foundation commented: “We are honoured to collaborate with IPAF on this second round of Nadwa and we look forward to reading the new works of literature by young creative Arab writers.”
The International Prize for Arabic Fiction, which is supported by the Emirates Foundation for Philanthropy, is now in its fourth year. It aims to recognise and reward excellence in contemporary Arabic creative writing and to encourage wider international readership of Arabic literature of the highest quality. The longlist for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction 2011 will be announced on Wednesday November 10, 2010, the shortlist on December 9, 2010 and the winner on March 14, 2011.
