The Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Literature, organised by the UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY) and supported by the Etisalat Group, showcased the latest developments in the comicsbook category and the advanced skillsets of Arab illustrators at the Middle East Film &Comic Con, which concluded in Abu Dhabi recently, and sponsored five artists to take part in the workshops held at the event, to hone and advance their skillsets.
The sponsored artists include Somaya Mohsen Al-Amoudi, author, illustrator and book designer from the UAE; DialaPresely, a Syrian cartoonist; illustrator Lina Merhej from Lebanon; Mohamed Taha Mohamed Desouki, illustrator from Egypt, and illustrator Noha Habib from Tunisia.
Under its ‘Warsha’ workshop programme which aims to build the skills and competencies of talented Arab illustrators, authors and publishers of Arabic children’s books, the Award hosted several interactive upskilling workshops and highlighted the works of Arabic comic book artists.
Through its presence at the event, the Award sponsored the ‘Alley’ stand to incentivise Arab illustrators to hone their aesthetic and technical skills and enhance their competitive edge on the international level due to the increasing appeal of comics in children’s literature.
Commenting on the Award’s participation at Comic Con, Marwa AlAqroubi, President of the UAEBBY, said: “Comics are still rooted in the minds of generations that have grown up with it. Introducing comics to children at an early age is a proven way to encourage them to become lifelong readers. The appeal of rich, lively visuals unleash children’s imagination and take them on journeys with their superheroes, in an experience that is both educative and fun.”
Al Aqroubiadded: “Given the importance of comic books in fostering a culture of reading in children, the Etisalat Award launched the ‘Comic Book’ category in its latest edition, to enable creatives in the field compete and showcase etheir work and enhance the quality of output in this genre across the Arab world. We see Middle East Film & Comic Con as an important platform to introduce participants of the Award to the creative potential of international works, and to inspire them to advance their skills to benefit the comics sector in the Arab world.”
