Kuwait Writers Association... Kicked Off Its Season by Announcing Award Winners

The ceremony was held under the patronage of Sheikha Afrah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah.

The Kuwait Writers Association celebrated the winners of its second-season awards as it launched its cultural season, under the patronage and in the presence of Sheikha Afrah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah. The event drew a notable attendance comprising a select group of writers and intellectuals, alongside several ambassadors, diplomats, and public figures.

The competition featured several literary categories. In the playwriting category, the play "Shaden and the Butterfly’s Magic" by Dr. Dalal Al-Baroud won first prize. In the short story category, the story "Mrs. Johnson" by Fahad Al-Rabiah took the award.

In the novel category, the prize was shared between "Mukhayyal Ma’awif" by Abdulhadi Al-Ajmi and "Anashid Tair Al-Huma" (Songs of the Huma Bird) by Mutab Al-Mutairi. Finally, in the literary essay category, the committee recommended withholding the award.

Speaking on the matter, Rima Al-Hajjari, head of the media committee, said: “The Kuwait Writers Association Award launched in its first edition in 2025 with clear objectives and solid foundations, driven by a firm belief that nations rise through their writers, and societies advance through their intellectuals. Words, though small in their composition, are miracles in what they achieve; they form the foundation upon which the consciousness of nations is built.”

Following the speech, a short film was screened, outlining the award’s journey, objectives, and key milestones. The visual presentation reflected the cultural vision embodied by the award and its aim to consolidate the status of literary creativity and honor those with distinguished achievements.

Subsequently, Sheikha Afrah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, patron of the Kuwait Writers Association Award, delivered a speech on the occasion, stating: “I am delighted to meet with you today as we light the candle marking the second year of this award. This award was born from a simple yet profound belief that beautiful words do not end with their author; rather, they begin with him, then go on to create an impact, open a window, and perhaps change a life. In its second year, I see this award not merely as a tribute to winners, but as a space we provide for literature to remain present in our lives, and for creators to find someone telling them: ‘We read you, we believe in your voices, and we await more from you.’”

She emphasized in her speech that culture is not built on noise, but by those quiet voices that leave an indelible mark on the soul—through an opened book, a recited poem, and an idea finding its way into the light. She added, “And because words are not measured by their quantity but by the impact they leave, I recall the words of our late poet, Ali Al-Sabti: ‘A single poem can sometimes suffice for a whole collection.’ For some words transcend time and outlast the lifespan of their speaker.”

She continued: “I congratulate the winners and thank everyone who believed in this award and contributed to its continuity. I also thank you for your gracious presence, which gives this evening its meaning and splendor. Perhaps the most beautiful hope we hold is that this award grows year after year, not only in size but in impact, remaining a window for words, a home for creators, and a small light that never goes out.”

In this context, she extended her highest expressions of gratitude and appreciation to His Highness the Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and to His Highness the Crown Prince, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah, may God protect and guard them, for the care and attention afforded to culture, words, and their proponents. She prayed to God to protect Kuwait and to perpetuate upon it the light of knowledge, culture, and creativity.

For his part, Abdullah Al-Basais, the Secretary-General of the Kuwaiti Writers Association, said, “We gather today to celebrate the winners of the Kuwaiti Writers Association Award and to fulfill a debt we owe to language, the language that preserves us from oblivion and gives meaning to our lives, every time we turn the last page of a book or utter the final line of a poem.” Al-Basais continued, “At the outset of this gathering, I am honored, on behalf of myself, the Board of Directors, and the members of the Association, to extend my sincere gratitude and deepest appreciation to Sheikhah Afrah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah for her keen interest and support for literature and its practitioners. We also thank her patronage of this award, which reflects loyalty to the distinguished legacy of her family in serving science and literature. With pride, we recall her grandfather, the late Sheikh Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the pioneer of Kuwait’s scientific and cultural renaissance, who early on recognized that building the individual is the foundation of building the nation. He embraced education, nurtured literature, presided over the Literary Club, and contributed to laying the foundations of the cultural life in which the Kuwaiti Writers Association flourished.”

As for Dr. Abbas Al-Haddad, head of the jury for the second edition, he said, “The award jury comprised five distinguished professors who agreed among themselves to establish judging criteria that ensure objectivity in selection through specific standards and scoring points assigned to each submitted work. Scores were then aggregated according to these criteria, and the winning work was the one that achieved the highest total score, in accordance with the guidelines adopted by the committee. The committee held a series of meetings over the past three months.”

In his address, Dr. Al-Haddad extended his thanks and appreciation to the jury members, who included Dr. Asma Al-Sarhan, Dr. Ali Al-Rifai, Dr. Abdullah Al-Otaibi, and novelist Khaled Al-Nassar. He also noted that the Association’s award is indebted to the esteemed Sheikhah Afrah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, who has ensured the award’s inception and continuity through her material and moral support for the Association.