Libyan novelist Ibrahim al-Kouny, born in Ghadames, Libya in 1948, received on Wednesday the 2010 Arab Novel award from the International Forum for Arab Novel Creativity, held in Cairo.
Egyptian Culture Minister Farouk Hosni delivered the award.
Al-Kouni plans to donate the prize, estimated at LE100,000, to children in conflict areas throughout the Arab World.
His writings range between novels, short stories, literary criticisms, and political and historical studies. Al-Kouni has been awarded many literary distinctions throughout his career.
Topping the list is the state grant exceptional award, offered by Swiss government, for his novels translated to German. Al-Kouni also won the Sheikh Zayed’s Book Award during the 2007/2008 award year.
Most of al-Kouni’s writings revolve around nature. He strives to reveal the relationship between man and universe through plots set in desert environments.
This tactic was evident in his al-Tabr, Nazeef al-Hagar, Roba’yet al-Khosouf, al-Sahara, and Thawrat al-Saharaa al-Kobra novels.
Previous awards went to Saudi novelist Abdel Rahman Meneif, Sudanese novelist al-Tayyeb Saleh and Egyptian Edward al-Kharrat.
Egyptian novelist Sonaallah Ibrahim refused the award in 2003, in a show of defiance against the Egyptian government.
