Launch of the Second Edition of the Yousuf bin Isa Cultural Award

Continuing its support for creativity and cultural development, the second edition of the Sheikh Yousif bin Isa Cultural Award has launched, aiming to honor and encourage institutions and individuals to publish cultural, literary, and scientific works that contribute to enriching the cultural landscape in Kuwait and the Arab world, while highlighting the most prominent publications in the fields of literature and the humanities, thereby enhancing Kuwait’s position on the map of Arab and international publishing as a hub for knowledge and creativity.

The second edition of the award comprises three categories: the Literature category (novel), the Humanities Studies category (sociology, anthropology, cultural studies, and digital humanities), and the Cultural Personality of the Year category, which is dedicated to individuals or institutions working in the local or Arab cultural field.

Buthaina Al-Aissa, Secretary-General of the Sheikh Yousif bin Isa Cultural Award, expressed her delight at the launch of the second edition, noting that this edition has seen a restructuring of its categories to reflect the priorities of the current cultural landscape. She stated, “We were keen to retain the novel category, in line with our commitment to supporting the Arab novel. We dedicated the second category to humanities studies, including psychology, sociology, anthropology, and others, based on our conviction that rapid digital transformations, foremost among them artificial intelligence, make the questions raised by these fields more urgent and relevant, particularly in the context of the Arab human being.”

Al-Aissa added, “This year, we introduced the Cultural Personality of the Year category to honor a personality or institution that has made a significant impact in serving culture. This category draws inspiration from the life of Sheikh Yousif bin Isa Al-Qanaai, who was not prolific in writing, but was an active and influential figure in shaping the cultural and educational landscape and in the course of social reform. We believe that cultural contribution is not limited to publications, but encompasses anyone who has contributed to building institutions, supporting initiatives, and creating sustainable cultural impact.”

The award was launched in 2025 with the participation of several companies and entrepreneurs from the private sector, including: Fawzak Educational Company, Q International Consultants, Ali Abdulwahab Al-Mutawa Company, Sultan Educational Association, Kia Al-Mutawa Company, Petroleum Services Company, heirs of Dr. Shamlan Yousif bin Isa, Kuwait Solutions Expert Company, Sheikh Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah Foundation, American University in Kuwait, Link Media Network, XY Studio, Kuwait Zbom Company, Kuwait Airways, and Dar Al-Athar Al-Islamiyyah, in collaboration with the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters.

The first edition saw the participation of 532 books from 32 countries, distributed across 390 works in the Literature (novel) category, 79 works in the History category, and 63 works in the Education and Pedagogy category. The award announced its longlists in November 2025, followed by its shortlists in February 2026, with winners announced in April 2026.

The Board of Trustees is chaired by Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Sultan, with members including Faisal Ali Abdulwahab Al-Mutawa, Dr. Yasmeen Fawzi Al-Saleh, Dr. Sulaiman Al-Askari, Sheikha Mariam Mohammed Sabah Al-Salem, Mohammed Sheikh Yousif bin Isa, and Abdulwahab Arif Al-Aissa. The Executive Board comprises Yousif Shamlan Al-Aissa and the Secretary-General of the award, Buthaina Al-Aissa. The award is supervised by Takween Library and Publications in Kuwait, and submissions are accepted via the award’s website, http://YBEAward.com, from July 20, 2026, to September 20, 2026.