National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters Opens Nominations for the Mansoor Award

The National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters announced the opening of nominations for the “Manshoor” Award for Unpublished Creative Works in its inaugural edition, aiming to recognize creators and encourage them to continue their creative endeavors. The award will be held in conjunction with the Kuwait International Book Fair. The Council clarified that the award accepts entries in three categories: poetry collections, short story collections, and novels. Nominations will be accepted until August 20 of next year via the dedicated online registration link.

The Council outlined that among the key eligibility criteria is that the applicant must be a Kuwaiti citizen, and the work must not have been published in print, electronically, or through any other means. Additionally, the work must not have previously won or been submitted to any other award, and it must be written in Modern Standard Arabic.

The award also requires the submission of a printed copy of the work on A4 paper, along with electronic copies in PDF and Word formats. Applicants must attach their curriculum vitae, a copy of their civil ID, complete the form designated for the award, and fill out the declaration and commitment form for unpublished creative works. The Council emphasized that all nominations will undergo review to ensure they meet the necessary requirements, noting that acceptance of an application does not guarantee the validity of the nomination.

He stated that the nominee must have a good reputation and character, and must not have been convicted of a crime involving dishonor or breach of trust. The applicant must declare that the nominated work does not violate existing laws in the country, particularly the Intellectual Property Law and the Press and Publications Law. If it is found that the submitted data is inaccurate or the declaration is violated, the nomination will be considered void, with consequences including the revocation of the award.

The Council affirmed that the award carries moral and cultural value, contributing to the support of creators and the highlighting of their works. The names of the winners will be announced during the Kuwait International Book Fair and through the Council’s channels. Winners will receive a certificate of appreciation and a commemorative shield designed specifically for the award. The Council added that it will print the first edition of the winning work, consisting of 100 copies, of which 80 copies will be retained as part of its own publications. If the author wishes to reprint the winning work (a second edition) independently, outside the Council, they must include the statement: “The winning work of the Unpublished Creative Works Award, printed by the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters.” The Council specified that nomination applications and required documents must be sent electronically to the dedicated email address for the award within the period specified in the official announcement.