Sharjah Book Authority awards Translation Grants to 154 titles, up 56%

SHARJAH, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 22nd Jul, 2026) The Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) has selected 154 titles from more than 2,098 applications submitted by publishers worldwide to receive its Translation Grant, one of Sharjah's flagship initiatives promoting translation and cultural exchange

Since its launch in 2011, the grant has supported the translation of 2,405 books, expanding access to works for Arab and international readers. SBA allocates US$300,000 annually to the programme, including US$250,000 for translations to and from Arabic and US$50,000 for translations between other languages.

The grant aims to strengthen cultural exchange, reinforce the role of translation in fostering dialogue between cultures, and expand the global reach of Arab creative and intellectual works.

Arabic titles topped the list of grant recipients, with 76 books translated into 20 foreign languages, followed by 31 English-language titles translated into nine languages and 18 Turkish titles translated into seven languages. The grant also supported works from 53 other languages translated into Arabic.

Funding for each selected title can reach up to $4,000 for general books and $1,500 for children’s books, depending on the word count of each title.

The number of approved titles increased from 99 in 2025 to 154 this year, an increase of 55 books, or approximately 56 percent, reflecting growing publisher interest and the quality of submissions.

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Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, CEO of the SBA, said that the Translation Grant complements Sharjah’s wider efforts to expand publishing activity and create new opportunities for knowledge to circulate across cultures.

“The grant is an extension of the cultural project led by His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, who has placed knowledge at the heart of civilisational development, transcending the boundaries of geography and language. It also reflects the directives of H.H. Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the SBA, to develop the grant as an advanced professional programme that meets publishers' needs and helps turn translation projects into published works reaching readers around the world," he added.

Mansour Al Hassani, Director of Publisher Services at the SBA, said, “Acquiring publishing rights is the first step in a book’s journey to new readers. That's where the Translation Grant plays an important role – providing publishers with the support they need to move forward with translation projects and expand their businesses into new markets and languages."

Applicants to the grant are required to submit an official translation agreement, information about the translator, and copies of the final published edition. Eligible works include novels, biographies, cookbooks, poetry and children’s books, provided that the works are protected by copyright.