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The Naguib Mahfouz Medal for Literature
Since 1996 the AUC Press has presented the annual Naguib Mahfouz Medal for Literature, a major award in support of contemporary Arabic literature in translation.
The award, consisting of a silver medal and a cash prize, as well as translation and publication throughout the English-speaking world, is presented annually on December 11, the birthday of Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz, by the President of the American University in Cairo in the presence of the Minister of Culture and many other prominent leaders of Egypt’s cultural life.
The Naguib Mahfouz Medal for Literature is awarded for the best contemporary novel published in Arabic (but not yet in English) and is selected every fall by the Mahfouz Award Committee, which includes Dr. Abdel Moneim Talima, Dr. Hoda Wasfi, Mr. Ibrahim Fathy, Dr. Samia Mehrez, Mr. Fakhry Saleh, and Mr. Mark Linz, Director of the AUC Press. The award-winning book is subsequently translated and published in an English-language edition by the AUC Press in Cairo, New York, and London.
Welcoming the award, Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz said: “The announcement of this award honoring writers and literature is the most pleasurable event on my birthday. I hope that this prize will also help to discover new talents in Arabic literature and introduce them to readers around the world.”
H.E. Farouk Hosny, Egypt’s Minister of Culture, said: “It is commendable that the AUC Press has decided to light up a new beacon of Arabic literature every year by discovering and presenting its masterpieces to the international community.”
The American University in Cairo Press is the primary English-language publisher of Naguib Mahfouz and has published or licensed some 500 foreign-language editions of the Nobel laureate’s works in 40 languages.
The 12 winners of the Naguib Mahfouz Medal for Literature since its inauguration include 6 women, 7 men; 7 Egyptians (2 posthumously), 2 Palestinians, 1 Algerian, 1 Lebanese, 1 Moroccan, and 1 Iraqi:
2007: Amina Zaydan, Nabidh ahmar (Red Wine)
2006: Sahar Khalifeh, The Image, the Icon, and the Covenant
2005: Yusuf Abu Rayya, Wedding Night
2004: Alia Mamdouh, The Loved Ones
2003: Khairy Shalaby, The Lodging House
2002: Bensalem Himmich, The Polymath
2001: Somaya Ramadan, Leaves of Narcissus
2000: Hoda Barakat, The Tiller of Waters
1999: Edwar al-Kharrat, Rama and the Dragon
1998: Ahlam Mosteghanemi, Memory in the Flesh
1997: Mourid Barghouti, I Saw Ramallah; and Yusuf Idris, City of Love and Ashes
1996: Ibrahim Abdel Meguid, The Other Place; and Latifa al-Zayyat, The Open Door
Nominations and Contacts
The Naguib Mahfouz Medal for Literature is awarded on the basis of the literary excellence of the work as agreed by the Judges. The Award Committee meets in early summer to establish a shortlist of nominees and in the fall the judges make a final decision prior to the award ceremony on December 11 of every year.
Anyone can nominate a novel by giving the full bibliographical information of the work and contact information of the author and the original publisher. Only published Arabic novels that have not already been translated into English will be considered. Authors can also nominate their works and send five copies of their book, along with their address, telephone, and email information. The AUC Press will acknowledge receipt of works, but only winners will be contacted thereafter, and books will not be returned to senders.
The AUC Press recommends that works or nominations sent to the Naguib Mahfouz Medal reach the AUC Press no later than June 15 of every year. All correspondence, inquiries, and contacts for the Mahfouz Award should be addressed to:
Mahfouz Award Committee
c/ o The American University in Cairo Press
113 Kasr el Aini Street
Cairo, Egypt