ZOUHOUR MECHERGUİ

Tunisia- The winners of the Zubaida Bashir Award received their award in Tunisia. The Centre for Research, Studies, Documentation, and Information on Women (CREDIF) has organized the Zubaida Bashir Award since 1995 to honor distinguished Tunisian women writers in the fields of story, novel, and poetry in both Arabic and French. We spoke to the winners of the award during the award ceremony held in Tunisia.

Soraya Balkahiya, general director of the CREDIF, spoke to NuJINHA about the award ceremony and said, “At the ceremony, we gave awards to women writers, researchers, and innovators to honor them for their works in 2021.”

Noting that the women who had previously won this award, have continued their creative path steadily and developed their literary production, Soraya Balkahiya said, “More than 150 women, who won the award, have developed their publications and writings, and this award is a means to encourage women writers and motivate their further works.”

Amna Al Rumaili, a Tunisian novelist and researcher, was a member of the jury for the Zubaida Bashir Award this year.  She is a professor of literature and criticism at the Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences in Sousse. Last year, she was nominated for the award for her novel “Shatt Al-Rouh” and won the award for the best literary production.  She pointed out that such awards would support women writers to be more visible.

Umama Al-Zayer won the Literary Creativity Award in Arabic for her poetry book. She told us that she was proud and happy to receive the award. She also underlined that it was a real victory and a good step for her.

Ibtisam Al-Waslati was awarded the Scientific Research Award in Arabic. “As a female researcher, I feel more successful now and I know that I have a long way to go,” she told us.

Malika Maysoum, the winner of the Zubaida Bashir Award for scientific research in French called, “L'Enfant victime de SA famille: essai comparé sur le parcours Délinquant", said, “The award encourages female researchers, writers, and poets to further their work.”

 

Siham al-Dababi al-Misawi who won the award in the category of research on Tunisian women or adopting a gender approach for her research "Rites and Symbols", told us that she could not describe the happiness she felt for being honored with the award for the second time.

 “The award reminds me that I should work harder, move forward, and put my signature under more creative works,” scriptwriter Salmi Al-Houbi, who won the screenplay award, told us.