The prestigious Ibn Battuta Prize for Travel Literature, one of the most significant Arab awards in the genre, has recognized seven Moroccan writers alongside winners from Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt in its 2024–2025 edition.
The Arab Center for Geographic Literature – Rihlat Al-Afaq awarded the prize to Moroccan writers Abdelhadi Al-Kadioui, Mohammed Al-Nidham, Mohammed Al-Andalusi, Abdelrahman Al-Tamara, Houria Al-Rifi, Abdelaziz Jadir, and Mohamed Khatabi. Egyptian winners included Mohammed Salem Abada and Taha Al-Shazly Ali, while Lebanese writer Issa Makhlouf, Jordanian author Issam Mohammed Al-Shahadat, and Saudi writer Masha’an Al-Masha’an were also honored.
Additionally, the jury commended the works of Palestinian writer Mustafa Mohammed Bsharat, Moroccan author Soufiane Belhaj, and Egyptian writer Ahmed Abu Diab.
The award’s selection committee, based in Abu Dhabi and London, included scholars and literary figures such as Khaldoun Al-Shammaa, Abdelrahman Bseiso, Ahmed Barqawi, Ibrahim Al-Jabeen, and Ahmed Ibish. The jury consisted of Abdelnabi Dhakir, Al-Tayeh Al-Haddawi, Shuaib Halifi, Moufid Najm, and Farouk Youssef, with Shadi Alaa Al-Din serving as coordinator.
This year, 43 manuscripts from nine Arab countries competed in categories such as contemporary travel literature, edited manuscripts, diaries, and translated travelogues. The judging process involved multiple rounds of selection, ensuring anonymity for the submissions. After an initial screening, 26 manuscripts advanced to the final stage.
The Ibn Battuta Prize for Travel Literature, established in 2000 and first awarded in 2003, is overseen by poet Nouri Al-Jarrah and sponsored by poet Mohammed Ahmed Al-Suwaidi. It aims to revive Arab interest in geographic and travel literature.
This recognition of Moroccan literary achievements follows another recent success, as nine Moroccan academics and researchers were honoured at the Arab Book Award ceremony in Doha just two days prior.
