King Abdullah translation award receives 226 nominations

The General Secretariat of the King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Award for Translation, supported by the King Abdulaziz Public Library in Riyadh, has announced that it has received 226 nominations during its 11th session.

The award aims to “consolidate human values based on knowledge of others with different languages, knowledge, and cultures, respecting and benefiting from their achievements.”

Dr. Saeed Al-Saeed, the award’s secretary-general, said that the works, translated from 12 different languages, were received from 36 countries, covering various fields, namely humanities and natural sciences.

Fourteen works were categorized under humanities, translated from Arabic into other languages; 40 works were classified under natural sciences, translated from other languages into Arabic; and 91 works were listed under humanities, translated from other languages into Arabic.

Some 51 candidates applied in the individual section, while in the institutions and organizations branch, there were 30 translation-related bodies submitting applications.

The works are currently being assessed and evaluated.

Al-Saeed said that the translation award was launched by Riyadh’s King Abdulaziz Public Library in October 2006, adding: “It recognizes distinguished works and significant efforts deployed in translation from and into Arabic, and seeks to contribute to bridging knowledge-based communication and constructive cultural dialogue between Arabs and people from other cultures.”

The evaluation process takes place for works competing in six categories, which are: an award for the efforts of institutions and bodies; the award in the humanities from other languages into Arabic; the translation award in the humanities from Arabic into other languages; the award in the natural sciences from other languages into Arabic; the translation award in the natural sciences from Arabic into other languages; and the award for the efforts of individuals.