Ahmed Shawky International Award for Poetic Creativity begins receiving works

CAIRO – 23 February 2021: The General Syndicate of the Egyptian Writers’ Union, headed by poet Alaa Abdel Hady, announced receiving applicants for the Ahmed Shawky International Award for Poetic Creativity.

The award is granted to a poet from Egypt and another from a different country, who possess the characteristics of creative uniqueness and poetic excellence.

The award's Board of Trustees consists of five to seven senior critics and poets that hold their post for a period of three years, headed by Alaa Abdel Hadi. A member of the Board of Trustees may not be nominated for the award until at least a year after leaving the board.

After publishing the advertisement in the usual channels, the award's Board of Trustees has the right to address senior specialists from outside or within the Arab world, and invite them to present their nominations through the channels specified for advertisement. The nominations received are subject to study.

The award will be evaluated by the secretariat of the award, and the Board of Trustees has the right to invite a selected number of senior writers to participate in the dialogue, or to prepare a short list of candidates.

The applications of the concerned institutions are received until mid-March, and the production that reaches the headquarters of the General Syndicate of the Egyptian Writers’ Union after the deadline is not considered.

The winner receives the majority of the votes of the Board of Trustees. The decision of the board is final and does not accept an appeal or response. The outcome of the award is announced on the International Poetry Day on March 21 of every year.

A literary symposium on the works of the winner or winners is held in a public ceremony. The prize value is LE 100,000 for each winner, and a bronze statue of Ahmed Shawky specially designed for this occasion.