Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami. ARCHIVE

Acclaimed Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami has been awarded the prestigious Cultural Personality of the Year title at the 19th edition of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award (SZBA), along with a prize of Dh1 million. The award, organized by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre and held under the patronage of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, honors individuals and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to culture and literature. The SZBA said Murakami was chosen “in recognition of his creative career and widespread literary influence, unbound by borders, impacting both Arab and Western cultures.” Murakami is one of the world’s most celebrated contemporary writers. His novels have been translated into numerous languages, including Arabic, and are praised for their unique blend of realism and fantasy, tackling themes of identity, loneliness, and the human condition. His works “express human concerns that transcend cultural boundaries,” the SZBA added. This year’s edition received a record of more than 4,000 submissions from 75 countries, with five countries – Albania, Bolivia, Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago, and Mali – participating for the first time. Murakami and other category winners will be honored at a ceremony in Abu Dhabi on April 28. ICA/Expat Media
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