OXFORD, England - St. Antony's College, Oxford hosted yesterday the inaugural Sheikh Zayed Book Award Lecture, in presence of Saif Al Shamsi, UAER's Consul in the United Kingdom and Hatim Saif Al Nasr, Egyptian Ambassador to London.
The award is presented every year to outstanding writers, translators, publishers and first-time novelists whose work has made a substantial contribution to Arab culture. Now in its fourth year, the Award has recognized outstanding publications from across the Arab world.
"The collaboration with University to of Oxford gives that Award a new momentum in celebrating excellence in Arabic letters and promoting cultural exchange between Europe and the Arab world" said Rashed Al Oraimi, the Award's Secretary General.
Speaking at this event were Dr. Abdulla Al Ghadami, member of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award Advisory Council, and novelist Gamal Al Ghitani, winner of the 2009 Sheikh Zayed Book Award for Literature.
Ghadami cited the significance of the reading and books in Islam, pointing out that the first ever verse in the Koran was "Read", and that the Koran referred to itself as "the Book".
Since Prophet Mohammed's time a revered place was given to those who could read and write, noted Ghadami, adding that in one incident prisoners of war were freed in return of teaching Muslims how to read and write.
This special place to those who are literature continued during the Umayyad dynasty and by the time the Abbasid dynasty came, literacy became the norm and a highly revered place was then given to scientists, scholars, philosophers and other holders of knowledge.
The Sheikh Zayed Book Award is announced each spring in a ceremony held in Abu Dhabi. Following this inaugural lecture, the Middle East Centre looks forward to hosting an annual lecture each spring bringing one of the Award winners to address the Oxford audience.
The Middle East Centre at St Antony's is the centre for the interdisciplinary study of the modern Middle East in the University of Oxford.
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