Cairo: The family of the late writer Sonallah Ibrahim announced the launch of an annual prize for Arabic fiction, bearing his name. The results will be announced on his birthday, August 3rd, each year.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the family stated that the new prize will be launched in collaboration with the New Culture House and several of the late writer’s friends, in honor of his legacy and in recognition of the values he championed throughout his literary and humanitarian career. The initiative aims to celebrate and perpetuate the significant contributions of Sonallah Ibrahim to the Arabic novel.

The family, together with friends of Sonallah Ibrahim, is working to establish a dedicated fund to finance the prize. This fund will rely on contributions from admirers of Sonallah Ibrahim through individual donations, reinforcing the concept of participatory funding. By doing so, the prize’s independence and long-term sustainability will be assured, preventing reliance on any single person or institution for funding.

A board of trustees will be formed to establish the prize’s general framework, select the judging panel, and oversee all related procedures. This includes opening nominations, receiving submissions, and announcing the winners. The prize is awarded annually on the anniversary of Sonallah Ibrahim’s birth, celebrating his significant contributions to the Arabic novel and recognizing the intellectual and human values he embodied and made a core part of his literary and cultural project.