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In support of Egypt's cultural movement, Sawiris Foundation launched the "Sawiris Cultural Award" in 2005 to recognize outstanding literary works by Established and emerging Egyptian writers in the fields of novels and short story collections. The award aims to foster artistic creativity and spotlight promising new talents.
Over the past 20 years, the competition has expanded to include a broader spectrum of literary and artistic disciplines. The award’s board of trustees has introduced new categories in screenplay writing and playwriting. In 2013, a new award for literary criticism was established, which recently defined as Literary Criticism and Non-Fiction Award. This category now embraces a wider range of creative works, including biographies, autobiographies, travel literature, historical blogs, critical essays, etc.
In its dedication to enhancing the award and supporting young Egyptian authors, Sawiris Foundation launched the Translation Award in 2020. This initiative aims to promote contemporary literary excellence and introduce young creators to an international audience by translating the first-prize-winning novel in the emerging writers' category into English, supplementing the monetary prize. To further uplift children's literature, the foundation introduced a new award in 2021 for the best book for children under 12 years old.
Since its inception, the award has established a vital platform for enriching Egypt's cultural life by honoring numerous genuine creative endeavors. It has gained a prestigious standing among Arab and local awards, with the number of participating works growing from 276 in 2005 to 1,010 literary works in 2023.
The Sawiris Cultural Award represents one of the most significant contributions of the Sawiris Foundation to the Egyptian cultural landscape. The award’s board of trustees comprises a distinguished group of volunteers who dedicate their time and expertise to advise the foundation on the award’s artistic aspects. This includes selecting the members of the independent judging committees responsible for fairly and objectively choosing the winning works. These committees consist of esteemed writers, authors, filmmakers, playwrights, critics, and drama professors from Egypt. The winners are announced, and the prizes are awarded at a grand ceremony held each January.
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