Doha, October 17 (QNA) - Katara named on Thursday the winners of the 11th Katara Prize for Arabic Novel.

The announcements were made during a ceremony at the Katara Opera House, attended by Their Excellencies ministers and diplomats along with writers, cultural figures and literature enthulsiasts.

In the Published Novels category, Hamid Al-Ruqaimi (Yemen), Rola Ghanem (Palestine), and Mohammed Jubeiti (Palestine) were awarded.

In the Unpublished Novels category, winners included Ahmed Saber Hussein (Egypt), Saad Mohammed (Iraq), and Maryam Qush (Palestine). Each received $30,000, and their works will be translated into English.

The Literary Criticism award went to scholars from Jordan, Morocco, and Egypt, while the Young Adult Fiction category recognized authors from Syria, Algeria, and Morocco. Winners received $15,000 each.

Omar Al-Jamali (Tunisia) won in the Unpublished Historical Novel category, and Dr. Huda Al-Nuaimi (Qatar) received the award for Published Qatari Novel.

Katara General Manager Dr. Khalid bin lbrahim Al Sulaiti said over 17,000 entries had been submitted since the prize's inception, with 183 winners to date. He noted that UNESCO's designation of World Arabic Novel Week (October 13–19) stemmed from a Katara proposal, further boosting the prize's international impact.

The 2025 edition introduced a new Guest of Honour initiative, spotlighting Saudi Arabian literature for its historic contribution to the Arabic novel.

Al Sulaiti announced a series of new initiatives to accompany the prize as it enters its second decade. Among the key projects is The Novel Brings Us Together, which pairs a Qatari novelist with an author from the guest country honored each year. The initiative aims to foster literary exchange and collaboration across the Arab world.

Katara also plans to use artificial intelligence to adapt unpublished novels and historical fiction into AI-generated films, with specific guidelines to be announced later.

In support of emerging voices, Katara will launch a new Youth Novel Competition targeting university students across the Arab world, offering young writers a platform to share their visions and aspirations through storytelling.

Additionally, Dr. Al Sulaiti revealed plans for the Katara International Prize, which will welcome submissions in English, French, and Spanish, aiming to open the award to non-Arab writers and promote cross-cultural literary dialogue. (QNA)