Arab League hosts the award ceremony for the second edition of the Al-Babtain Prize for Creativity

Cairo – Hanaa El-Sayed

The Arab League hosted the award ceremony for the second edition of the Abdulaziz Saud Al-Babtain Prize for Excellence in Serving the Arabic Language. This year’s theme focused on teaching Arabic to non-native speakers, with the participation and attendance of prominent Arab figures in the fields of culture, linguistics, and parliamentary work.

In his address during the ceremony, Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Fahmy emphasized that teaching Arabic to non-native speakers serves as a window for presenting Arab culture to the world and an effective tool for promoting the Arab nation’s soft power.

Fahmy welcomed the attendees, including the Speaker of the Arab Parliament and Chairman of the Prize’s Board of Trustees, Mohamed Al-Yamahi, and Saud Abdulaziz Al-Babtain, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Abdulaziz Saud Al-Babtain Cultural Foundation.

He stated that the convening of this event embodies a distinguished model of “Arab cultural diplomacy” and crowns the tripartite strategic partnership inspired by the noble principles and vision of the late poet and intellectual Abdulaziz Saud Al-Babtain, who dedicated his life to serving the Arabic language and nurturing creativity within it.

Fahmy added that the first edition of the prize was not merely a passing event but a foundational milestone that launched a new dynamic in serving the Arabic language and entrenched standards of excellence and innovation in academic and cultural circles.

He explained that the second edition reflects the maturity of the initiative and the expansion of its impact through its focus on teaching Arabic to non-native speakers, a field of strategic and civilizational importance.

He noted that teaching Arabic to non-native speakers is among the effective tools for disseminating Arab culture and strengthening its presence globally.

For his part, Al-Yamahi stated in his speech that celebrating the Abdulaziz Saud Al-Babtain Prize for Excellence in Serving the Arabic Language is not merely an awards ceremony, but a celebration of an idea that affirms Arabic is not just a vessel for heritage, but a tool for creating knowledge, a bridge for dialogue with the world, and an authentic component of Arab identity.

Al-Yamahi clarified that the partnership between the Arab Parliament and the Al-Babtain Foundation embodies a shared belief that serving the Arabic language is not a cultural luxury, but an Arab responsibility tied to the future of the nation and its capacity to produce knowledge.

He pointed out that the selection of the second edition’s theme, “Teaching Arabic to Non-Native Speakers,” carries deep significance for enhancing the presence of the Arabic language and opening up avenues for its spread, noting that teaching it to non-native speakers opens the door to a venerable civilization and a rich culture.

Al-Yamahi congratulated the winners of the second edition: the “Center for Developing Education for Foreign Students at Al-Azhar Al-Sharif” and the “ISESCO Center for Arabic Language for Non-Native Speakers” in the institutions category, and Dr. Khaled Abu Amsha and Dr. Sayed Azat Abu El-Wafa in the individuals category. He affirmed that honoring them represents confidence in their ability to deliver more, and that the prize should serve as an incentive to continue innovating in the face of the ever-renewing challenges facing the Arabic language.

For his part, Saud Abdulaziz Al-Babtain, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Abdulaziz Saud Al-Babtain Cultural Foundation, stated that preserving the Arabic language is a responsibility that requires continuous effort, as reflected in the Foundation’s projects spanning decades in service of Arabic and its culture.

Al-Babtain highlighted the significance of the event coinciding with September, recalling the University of Oxford’s celebration on September 15, 2016, of the re-funding of the Chair of Arabic Language, established in 1636 and named after Abdulaziz Al-Babtain in recognition of his contributions. He affirmed that this connection reflects the broad horizon of the mission and the capacity of the Arabic language to find its place in the most venerable forums of scholarship.

He stressed that the Arabic language is not merely a tool for communication, but the vessel of the nation’s culture and memory, and the bridge between its past and future. He clarified that safeguarding it is not achieved solely by celebrating its past, but by supporting its present, developing its tools, and opening doors for researchers and creators.

He noted that this belief led to the partnership with the Arab Parliament through a prize bearing his father’s name, dedicated to excellence in serving the Arabic language.

Following the speeches, the winners of the second edition of the Abdulaziz Saud Al-Babtain Prize for Excellence in Serving the Arabic Language were honored. The edition was dedicated to two main categories: individuals in the field of digitalization in service of the Arabic language, and institutions in the field of language planning and policies.

In the individuals category, dedicated to “Digitalization in Service of the Arabic Language” with a prize value of $40,000, the award was won by the book “Foreign Strategies in Teaching Arabic to Non-Native Speakers” by Dr. Khaled Abu Amsha and Dr. Sayed Azat Abu El-Wafa.

In the institutions category, dedicated to language planning and policies with a prize value of $60,000, the award was shared equally between the “Center for Developing Education for Foreign Students at Al-Azhar Al-Sharif” project and the “ISESCO Center for Arabic Language for Non-Native Speakers” (Mishkat) project.