The Sheikh Zayed Book Award has announced the acceptance of nominations for its tenth cycle of 2015/2016 starting from the middle of this month until 30 September 2015.

The Awards executive office now welcomes nominations from creative individuals in any of the Awards nine categories; Best Contribution to the Development of Nations, Childrens Literature [including adolescents books], Young Author, Translation, Literature, Literary and Art Criticism, Arabic Culture in Other Languages, Publishing and Cultural Technologies, and Cultural Personality of the Year.

Applicants are invited to collect their application from the Administrative Offices of the Award or apply online www.zayedaward.ae. The application forms should be submitted to the Sheikh Zayed Book Award offices along with the candidate's resume, passport copy, personal photo, and five copies of the nominated work in a paper format, except works nominated for the Award of Publishing and Cultural Technologies which can be a digital or portal address nomination.

All nominated works must have been published in the last two years and shouldnt have been previously awarded by an international prize. The work must be written in Arabic, except for works nominated for the Translation Award (they could be translated either from or to Arabic), and the works nominated for the newly devised category for Arabic Culture in Other Languages which can be in English, French or Portuguese for the tenth session.

Over the past nine years the Award has recognised the creative literary and cultural achievements of more than 60 authors including novelist Waciny Laredj; Prof. Pedro Martinez Montavez; novelist Ibrahim al-Kouni; Orientalist Chung Jikon; writer and critic Marina Warner from United Kingdom and Sigita Hideaki from Japan, among others.

The Sheikh Zayed Book Award's first installment was in 2007, intended to promote scholarship and creativity in Arab culture. It carries cash prizes totaling AED 7 million - with Dh750,000 per winner in all eight categories (including the Arab Culture in Other languages category). The winners also receive a certificate of merit and a Gold Medal.