BA Award for Young Creators
Posted on
The Bibliotheca Alexandrina announces the launch of its latest awards for young creators, which will be granted annually in seven creative fields. Each winner will receive a cash prize of 100,000 Egyptian pounds, in addition to a certificate of appreciation and a shield... This was announced by Dr. Ahmed Zayed, Director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, who said that, together with this new award, the Library has launched three major awards bearing its name: the “Reading Award,” the “Bibliotheca Alexandrina International Award,” and the “Bibliotheca Alexandrina Award for Young Creators.”
Dr. Zayed said that competition for the new award will be open as of today for the age group (18 to 45 years old). He noted that all entries will be accepted at the Library headquarters or by mail.
The BA Director also said that applications for this year's award will be open from 15 June and will continue until 14 August 2025. The selection committees will begin their work and review the submitted works on 17 August, and the winner and final results will be announced on 16 October, which marks the anniversary of the opening of the new Bibliotheca Alexandrina on 16 October 2002.
The Award Objectives:
Dr. Ahmed Zayed said that the launch of a major award in seven fields for young creators stems from the BA’s long-standing mission to support creators, with the aim of encouraging creativity, discovering young talent, equipping them with knowledge, revitalizing cultural activity in the region, and transferring scientific and cultural expertise to new generations.
The Seven Categories of the Award:
The BA Director has revealed the categories of the award, which include: Poetry (Classical Arabic, Colloquial Arabic), with this year's 2025 edition dedicated to Classical Arabic poetry; Narrative (novel, short story) with this year's edition dedicated to novels; Theater (playwriting, mise en scène) with this year's edition dedicated to playwriting; Visual Arts (photography, painting, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, photography, digital arts) with this year's edition dedicated to painting; Philosophical and Social Thought (sociology, psychology, anthropology, geography, media and communication, history, political science, economics, philosophy, law) with this year's edition dedicated to philosophical thought and entrepreneurship, with a focus on productive, service, or community projects; Technological Innovation, which will focus this year on robotics, programming, and artificial intelligence.
Eligibility Requirements:
In response to a question about the application requirements, the BA Director said that applicants must be Egyptian nationals, aged between 18 and 45. In the case of a written text, it must be in classical Arabic, edited, not have been submitted for an academic degree, and innovative.
Dr. Ahmed Zayed pointed out that only one entry in one category is allowed per applicant, and that the entry must not have won any other Egyptian, Arab, or international award. Participants must also sign a statement confirming that the work is their own creation and has not won any previous awards.
He added that published narrative or poetic works are accepted, provided that they were published no more than two years prior to the submission date and that the publication must be documented in accordance with intellectual property rights (contract, deposit number, ISBN). Works nominated by individuals as well as cultural bodies, universities, and institutions are also accepted, as the award will be granted to the creator of the work.
Applications that do not meet all the required conditions will not be accepted. The application form must be completed electronically, and an email will be sent to confirm that the registration process has been completed successfully. The Library Director confirmed that the relevant committees have the right to withhold the award in one of its branches without giving reasons, or withdraw it after it has been awarded if they deem it necessary.
For more information on the award categories, please visit the following website:
https://www.bibalex.org/youthaward