In 2013, on the fifth anniversary of the Etisalat Award, the UAEBBY launched “Warsha – Etisalat Award Workshop for Children’s Books.” The ground-breaking initiative aims to find and nurture a new generation of talented Arab authors, illustrators, and publishers of Arabic children’s books targeting the 0 to 18 age group. With an investment of AED 300,000, Warsha seeks to support those who are passionate about Arabic books for children and young adults. It aims to build the skills and competence of young individuals in order to facilitate the creation of books that are rooted in local Arabic culture and that not only meet but surpass international standards – short stories, picture books, and novels that offer children a doorway to fantastic, imaginary worlds and that will ultimately instil a love for reading in generations to come.
