New Arab literary prize

Egypt is planning to launch a highly-esteemed new Arab literary award to parallel the international Nobel award. Minister of Culture Faruq Hosni has approved the executive steps to announce the award.

Sources at the higher council for culture said yesterday that Hosni formed the Arab award jury from renowned scholars and intellectuals. The jury will be made up of seven members from Egypt and other Arab countries.

The L.E 50,000 award (15,000 U.S dollars) will be given to the winner for his or her body of work, with special concentration on a recent novel.

The higher committee organizing the competition has already started receiving some competing works, the source said. The winner of the award will be announced during the first literary conference Egypt is planning to hold from December 15-18.