The fourth edition of the Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Literature was launched during the opening of the Sharjah Children's Reading Festival on April 23, 2012 and is now open for entries from publishers that publish Arabic-language books for children.
The award, worth AED1 million is given each year to the best Arabic children’s book as chosen by a judging panel comprised of experts in the fields of children’s literature and publishing. Half the prize money goes to the publisher of the winning book, and the other half is divided between the author and illustrator based on the recommendation of the judging panel. The winning book will be announced during the Sharjah International Book Fair in November, 2012.
AWARD OBJECTIVES:
The Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Literature was launched to support the children’s book industry in the Arab world and achieve the following objectives:
• To raise the standards of children’s book production in the Arab world
• To recognise children’s books that are distinctive, contemporary and novel
• To demonstrate that books continue to be the principal cultural products in the
midst of diverse electronic alternatives available today
• To encourage publishers, writers and illustrators towards increased innovation in the field of children’s book publishing
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
1. The book should be published in the Arabic language. Translated works are not eligible.
2. The book should have been published no earlier than 3 years prior to the year in which the call for entries is launched.
3. New editions of previously published books are not eligible.
4. The book must not have previously received any local, Arab or international award prior to the deadline of submission of entries.
5. It should be an original work. The entry must not infringe the copyright or any other rights of any third party. The intellectual property rights of the authors and other producers of the work must been respected.
6. Non-fiction, educational and scientific books and series are not eligible for entry.
7. The book should be published in paper format.
8. The book should have been published by a publishing house and must not be selfpublished.
9. Books of poetry and short story collections are not eligible.
10. The entries should be children’s books targeting children aged 0-14.
11. The entries must be submitted by the publishing house. Each publisher may nominate a maximum of three books.
12. Publishers should not submit entries that they have already submitted to previous
editions of the award. Any such entry will be disqualified.
13. The judging panel is authorized to disqualify any entry that does not comply with the above conditions.
14. The judging panel has the right to withhold the award.
15. No entrant may object to the decisions of the judging panel.
16. The publisher of the winning book shall provide the UAEBBY with 2,000 copies of the book bearing the logo of the award for non-profit use.
ENTRY SUBMISSION
The call for entries will be launched in April of each year. The entry form should be completed in full for each entry. All the fields are mandatory and should be filled.
The following documents should also be submitted:
• Seven non-returnable copies of the entered title(s)
• Copies of the contracts with the author and illustrator of the entered title or a statement signed by both parties declaring that the rights have been legally surrendered by the author and illustrator to the publishing house
• A profile of the publishing house and up-to-date biographies/profiles of the author and illustrator;
• Summaries of the entered books
In cases where the entrant has deliberately provided false or misleading information, the management of the Etisalat Award has the right to take any action, including legal action,
as it sees fit.
The deadline for submission of entries is 12 noon, 31 August of each year.
The phrase “ Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Literature” should appear on the envelope containing the entries, and all envelopes should be sent to the following address:
Etisalat Award for Arabic
Children’s Literature
Al Qasba – Block D – First Floor
Sharjah P.O. Box: 5424
Sharjah – United Arab Emirates
Tel +971 6 5542111 Fax +971 6 5542345
e-mail: info@uaebby.org.ae
VALUE OF THE AWARD
The award is worth one million dirhams (AED1 million), distributed as follows:
• 50% of the Award value goes to the publisher.
• 50% of the Award value to be distributed among the other parties involved, in a manner decided upon by the Jury.
The award money will be paid to the publishing house and disbursed in the following manner:
• 60% to be paid upon the announcement of the winning book, and
• 40% to be paid once the UAEBBY receives the 2000 complimentary copies of the winning book.
THE JUDGING PROCESS
The judging process is conducted with full transparency and in the most professional manner possible. This has served to raise the profile of the award and to provide publishers with a greater incentive to submit their best books to the award. Entries are evaluated by an independent judging panel which chooses the longlist, shortlist and winner.
The judging process is conducted according to the clauses listed below.
First:
To ensure transparency in the selection of the members of the judging panel, the following will be taken into account:
1. Members of the judging panel will not be allowed to have any of their works submitted for the award.
2. To the fullest extent possible, the judging panel will be composed of members with a broad and diverse range of qualifications and specialisations, such as publishers, authors, critics, illustrators and other experts.
3. The judging panel may seek the assistance of experts in the fields of science, literature or the arts when needed, in so far as this remains in compliance with the principles of confidentiality and full neutrality and is in full adherence to clauses 1 and 2.
4. The composition of the judging panel is secret, and the names of the members will not be revealed before the winner of the award has been announced.
5. The members of the judging panel should be diverse in terms of geographical and national backgrounds.
Second:
The award’s management shall form a judging panel each year, provided that it includes a minimum of five members with relevant expertise, competence and integrity.
Third:
The meetings of the judging panel shall be presided over by a Chairperson chosen by the award’s management. The judging panel shall select a Rapporteur.
Fourth:
The names of the members of the judging panel and the content of their discussion during their meetings shall remain secret. The award’s management may announce the names of the members during the bestowing ceremony.
Fifth:
The work of the judging begins the day after the closing date for submission of entries for the award. It shall end upon their submission of a report on the date determined by the award’s management.
Sixth:
The judging panel shall present a written report presenting the results of their discussions. The report should specify the reasons behind the choice of the winning book.
Seventh:
The choice of winning book shall be decided by majority vote. In the case of a tie, the chairman shall cast the deciding vote.
Eighth:
If any member of the judging panel cannot attend a meeting due to an emergency, his or her written report shall be considered sufficient. He/she shall have no right to object to the decision(s) made by judging panel during the meeting.
Ninth:
The constitution of the judging panel is secret and the names of its members should not be revealed before the announcement of the winning book. Judges are not permitted to announce or reveal that they are members of the Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Literature judging panel. Neither are they allowed to disclose the results of the deliberations of the judging panel to any external party.
Tenth:
A judge shall withdraw from the judging panel if one of his/her relatives of the first or second degree has a work submitted for the award.
Eleventh:
The judging panel shall evaluate the books entered for the award in accordance with the rules and criteria specified by the award’s management.
Twelfth:
The judging panel submit a detailed report, signed by all members, to the award’s management for approval.
EVALUATION CRITERIA
The following set of criteria represents the basis upon which the submitted entries are evaluated by the judging panel.
Books are evaluated based on the general appearance of the book, the text as well as the illustrations and layout. .
1. General Appearance of the Book
2. Text
3. Artistic Aspects
ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE WINNER
The UAEBBY management will announce the winner within three months of the closing of the deadline for receiving entries, unless there are circumstances beyond UAEBBY’s control. Before the announcement of the winner, the UAEBBY announces the longlist and then the short list. These announcements are made once the UAEBBY management endorses the decision of the judging panel.
Starting from 2010, the winner of the Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Books has been announced during the Sharjah International Book Fair. .
Download: entry form, rules and regulations in Arabic
CONTACT INFORMATION:
For queries/ submissions: : info@uaebby.org.ae
Website: http://www.uaebby.org.ae
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