Launch of the Second Edition of the Sheikh Yousuf bin Isa Cultural Award
Continuing its support for creativity and cultural development, the second edition of the Sheikh Yousif bin Isa Cultural Award kicked off on July 20, 2026. The award aims 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 humanities, thereby enhancing Kuwait’s position on the Arab and international publishing map as a hub for knowledge and creativity.
The second edition of the award comprises three categories: Literature (Novel), Humanities Studies (Sociology, Anthropology, Cultural Studies, 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-Eissa, Secretary-General of the Sheikh Yousif bin Isa Cultural Award, expressed her delight at the launch of the second edition, noting that this year’s iteration saw 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 Arabic novel. We dedicated the second category to Humanities Studies, including psychology, sociology, anthropology, and others, driven by our conviction that rapid digital transformations, with artificial intelligence at the forefront, make the questions raised by these fields more urgent and relevant, particularly in the context of the Arab individual.”
Al-Eissa 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-Qanaei, who was not prolific in writing but was an active and influential figure in shaping the cultural and educational landscape and in the process of social reform. We believe that cultural contribution is not limited to publications; it also encompasses anyone who has contributed to building institutions, supporting initiatives, and creating sustainable cultural impact.”
The award was launched in 2025 with contributions from several companies and entrepreneurs in 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, the heirs of Dr. Shamalan Yousif bin Isa, Kuwait Solutions Expert Company, Sheikh Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah Charity, the American University of 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 the winners announced in April 2026.
The Board of Trustees is chaired by Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Sultan, with members including Mr. Faisal Ali Abdulwahab Al-Mutawa, Dr. Yasmin Fawzi Al-Saleh, Dr. Sulaiman Al-Askari, Sheikha Mariam Mohammed Sabah Al-Salem, Mr. Mohammed Sheikh Yousif bin Isa, and Mr. Abdulwahab Arif Al-Eissa. The Executive Board comprises Yousif Shamalan Al-Eissa and Buthaina Al-Eissa, Secretary-General of the Award.
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.
