Three Syrian writers rank high in the Dr. Naji al-Tiriti international competition in Iraq

Three Syrian writers received advanced ranks, including the first place in the “Dr. Naji al-Tikriti Award for Storytelling Creativity”, the results of which were announced during an honoring ceremony held for the winners at the Palace of Culture and Arts in Tikrit, Salah El-Din Governorate, Iraq.

The preparatory committee for the award in Iraq received 640 short story texts from 22 Arab and international countries, and 475 stories were referred to it, so that three Syrian writers received advanced positions, namely the writer Ibrahim Awad Khalaf, who won the first place, the writer Najah Ibrahim, who won the fourth place, and the writer Susan Al-saabi, who won the eighth place.

The first winner of the award, the head of the Hasakah branch of the Arab Writers Union, Ibrahim Awad Khalaf, expressed in a statement to SِANA his happiness that his story (Al-Arisha) won the first place in the Dr. Naji al-Tikriti Award for Storytelling Creativity in Iraq, amid the large number of distinctive texts.

Khalaf said: “this competition is considered one of the most important story competitions in the Arab world, and when there are three Syrian writers among the top ten winners, including the first-place winner, this is an important achievement and a source of pride for the Syrian story.”

For her part, the member of the Council of the Arab Writers Union, writer Najah Ibrahim, said that the success of her story” red saffron” is of a literary and cultural value, citing the words of the writer Tikrit to her: “Its success is an important value and the ranking does not mean that it is not at the forefront at the level of the Arab world.”

Ibrahim added: “Winning is a tribute to the creator, and to raising his country’s name high, a recognition that what we write represents a remarkable value and creativity, a primarily moral culmination and drawing the attention of readers to a crowned text.”

In turn, the writer Susan Al-saabi said that she was awarded the eighth place in the award through her story ” No Longer My Name”.

The member of the Executive Office of the Arab Writers’ Union, poet Munir Khalaf, said: “the participation of Syrian writers and their excellence at a global and Arab level means great importance for the literary, cultural and humanitarian presence in Syria despite the difficulties and challenges,” indicating that “the victory of three Syrian writers in this competition is a continuous supreme value.”

While the president of the Arab Writers Union, Dr. Mohammed Al-Hourani, considered that the presence of Syrian writers in an international cultural forum is a response to all challenges and obstacles and an affirmation of Syria’s cultural presence and prestige.

Amal Farhat