Sekka Literary Award
With the aim of increasing the literary output of the Arab world, Sekka launched its first literary prize in October 2021. The prize was established to support and elevate emerging and established voices, while creating greater visibility for Arab writers on an international stage. Open to nonfiction, fiction, and poetry written in English by writers from or residing in Arab countries, the inaugural call for submissions ran for two months and received hundreds of entries. The strong response reflected both the depth of literary talent across the region and the growing demand for platforms that champion diverse Arab narratives. Details regarding the next edition of the prize and upcoming submission calls will be announced in due course.
Judges and Recipients
The literary prize’s inaugural competition was judged and the winners were selected by Jonas Elbousty, PhD; Afra Atiq, PhD; Shahd Alshammari, PhD; and Amal Al Sahlawi. Prize winners included Myriam Amri, who received first place in Nonfiction for “An Archipelago of Grief,” followed by Fatima Alharthi in second place for “Pear”; Sharon Aruparayil, who received first place in Fiction for “Shoeboxes in the Sky,” with Zainab Mirza taking second place for “The Drive Home”; and in Poetry, Shaikha Sabti, awarded first place for “A Relationship with My Dad,” followed by Mariam Elkholy in second place for “Post-war Pubs.”
