January 13, 2023
WoEgypt

Dr. Samia Mehrez was the winner of the 19th Sawiris Cultural Award for Literary Criticism and Literary Narratives for her book “The Many Lives of Ibrahim Nagui: A Journey with My Grandfather”. The book is scheduled to be translated and published by AUC Press in the fall of 2024.

An accomplished literary critic, Dr. Samia Mehrez is the former director of the AUC’s Centre for Translation Studies. A graduate of the University of California (Los Angeles), she taught at Cornell University for six years before joining the AUC in 1990. 

Samia translated the works of Egyptian writer Sonallah Ibrahim and poet-painter Abdul Hadi Al-Gazzar, and the companion edited anthologies of translations The Literary Atlas of Cairo: One Hundred Years on the Streets of the City; and The Literary Life of Cairo: One Hundred Years in the Heart of the City. She also authored Egypt’s Culture Wars: Politics and Practice.

Published in 2021, “The Many Lives of Ibrahim Nagui: A Journey with My Grandfather” is her first book in Arabic. In this book, Mehrez takes a closer look at the literary works of her grandfather, Ibrahim Nagui (1898-1953), a distinguished poet and medical doctor widely recognized as one of the Arab world’s most celebrated romantic poets. Notably, he authored the renowned poem “Al Atlal,” famously performed by Umm Kulthum. The narrative unfolds as a journey of exploration and reconciliation for Mehrez, who never had the chance to meet her grandfather, being born two years after his passing.

Through a close and critical reading of Nagui’s personal letters, unpublished memoir, poem drafts, and incomplete book projects, Mehrez dispels various myths surrounding Ibrahim Nagui. Simultaneously, she reflects on the profound influence he had on her own career as a literary critic.

Believing in the transformative influence of art and culture on society, the Sawiris Cultural Awards Competition was established in 2005 to acknowledge excellence in the literary works of both emerging and established Egyptian writers, focusing on novels and short stories. Over the past 16 years, the competition has expanded to encompass additional genres, including screenplays, supporting the advancement of the Egyptian film industry, and playwriting, facilitating the entry of playwrights into the theatrical realm. The category of best literature critique work was introduced in 2013.

In 2020, the Sawiris Foundation introduced a translation award to champion contemporary literary excellence and introduce young creative writers to readers beyond the Arab region. In addition to the cash prize associated with the literary award, the winning novel by an emerging writer receives translation into the English language.

Since its inception, the award has significantly enriched cultural life in Egypt and has secured a prominent position among both Arab and local awards. The number of applicants for the Sawiris Cultural Awards has grown from 267 in 2005 to 1010 applicants as of 2022.

The foundation presents cash prizes and recognition plaques to winners across various categories, including novels, collections of short stories, screenplays, playwriting, and non-fiction. The competition undergoes an extensive process starting in mid-June and concluding in January. An independent judging committee, comprising well-known writers and literary experts, selects the winning submissions. The announcement of the winners takes place in a grand ceremony held every January.

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