A panel discussion titled “The Emirati Article and the Making of Awareness,” organized by Bahr Al-Thaqafa Foundation in Abu Dhabi the day before yesterday, addressed the importance, goals, and origins of the Emirati Article Award.

The session included critic and academic Dr. Maryam Al Hashimi, academic critic Dr. Badi’a Al Hashimi, writer and journalist Mona Al Hammoudi, and writer Mira Al Janahi. The session was moderated by media professional Nouf Al Mousa, with attendance from foundation members and a select group of writers.

The discussion focused on the “Emirati Article Award” as an annual national initiative, whose first cycle launched in 2025, supported by the Dubai Press Club under the leadership of Dr. Abdul Khaleq Abdullah. Mira Al Janahi, a member of the award’s Board of Trustees, explained the award’s objectives, origins, mission, and operational mechanism, noting that the award supports Emirati writers and Arab creativity in expressing national and contemporary issues. It is supervised by a group of writers and experts under the Board of Trustees, and a specialized jury evaluates submissions that meet the nomination criteria.

She mentioned that the award’s vision is based on supporting creative writing in the UAE and enhancing the role of the article as an art form in cultural life.

She affirmed that the award’s mission is to elevate creative writing, stimulate creativity, highlight serious Emirati voices, and support the quality and sustainability of the article art form.

Dr. Maryam Al Hashimi highlighted the award’s importance, pointing out that it fills a gap in the cultural scene, where there are awards for all literary genres like poetry, novels, and stories, but none for articles. She touched on the history of the article, noting its connection to the emergence of journalism, magazines, and literary cafes, explaining that the article writer is not a teacher but speaks calmly and fluently with the reader.

Mona Khalifa Al Hammoudi shared her experience spanning over 17 years, rooted in philosophy, reading, and academic journalism studies. She discussed her article “The Dynamic Emirati Citizen.. The Philosophy of Deep-rooted Change in a Changing World,” which was among the winning articles in the award’s first cycle. She added that her language as a writer and short story author differs completely from her language as a journalist.

Dr. Badi’a Khalil Al Hashimi shed light on the fundamentals of article writing, including argumentation, persuasion, and influencing the audience. She also discussed her literary article that won the award titled “The Identity of Man and Place in the Emirati Novel.”

She explained how the article is taught in academic education, noting the difficulty of article language as criticism is described as difficult. She tries in her articles to bring criticism closer to the public away from academic terms, using clear and simple language for better understanding.