Both graduate poets, Mr. Musab Abu Toha, majoring in English from the Faculty of Education, and Ms. Heba Abdelsalam Hayek, majoring in English from the Faculty of Arts at the Islamic University of Gaza, won the Palestine Book Award, organized by the London-based Middle East Monitor (MEMO) for the best books published in English about Palestine.
The “Creativity Category” award went to graduate poet Abu Toha for his first collection of poetry, which he wrote all in English, “Things You May Find Hidden in My Ear,” published by the American “City Lights” house. The collection tackled life in Gaza under occupation and siege, in addition to his childhood in a refugee camp and the emigration of his family from Jaffa. The poet Abu Toha is considered the first to publish a book of poetry in English from Gaza, and he has had a number of poems, short stories, and articles published in several Arab and international magazines and newspapers.
In the same category, Ms. Hayek won the award for her book “Sambac Beneath Unlikely Skies,” which talks about “the memories of a woman far from her homeland and her longing for her city, Gaza, and the resistance of Palestinian women.”
It is worth mentioning that the Palestine Book Award aims to honor the best books published in the English language by writers from outside Palestine in four categories: the Academic Award, the Creativity Award, the Translation Award, the Opposite Current Award, and the Achievement Award. Some of its conditions are: the book must have been published in the year preceding the announcement of the competition, and it must have been written in English.
In its eleventh year, 51 books were submitted for the award in various fields. The names of nine award winners were announced after being evaluated by a committee consisting of academics, translators, researchers, and Arab and foreign writers.
