Following the huge success of the Arabic edition of the competition in 2021, the Emirates Literature Foundation and Wikimedians of the UAE User Group launched the Kateb Maktub competition in English. The organizers called on all the Wikipedia editor and enthusiasts to create English articles about Arab authors before the deadline of August 18, 2022.

The competition aims to introduce Arabic literature and Arab writers to the English-speaking global community by increasing the number of articles available on Wikipedia. Competition winners are eligible for cash prizes, with the person in first place receiving US $500, runners-up receiving US $400 and US $300 up for grabs for third place.

The competition is divided into two categories and will be judged by a panel of experts and certified editors from the Wikimedia community. The first category (Experts) is for Wikipedia users who are registered on the platform for at least 4 months prior to the start of the competition, 18 July, and have edited 500 articles within the competition duration. The second category (Beginners) is for users who are registered for less than 4 months prior to the start of the competition and have edited less than 500 articles within the competition duration.

To facilitate the participants, the user group has composed a list of notable Arab author names like Ahlam Basharat and Ahmed Qandil and Arabic book titles like Memory of the Flesh. Contributors have 24 hours, from the time they select an author, to upload the article to Wikipedia to ensure there are no duplicates. Contributors can also choose to recreate an existing Arabic article in English.

The Emirates Literature Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation which supports and nurtures a love of literature in the United Arab Emirates and the region, through a programme of varied cultural initiatives. Established in 2013 by Royal Decree issued by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the Foundation aims to foster a love for literature, with a focus on the Arabic language.

In line with the National Reading Policy of the UAE, the Foundation has implemented several long-term projects including the School Librarian of the Year Award, Kateb Maktub, and From the Inside Out, as well as conducting year-round student education programmes, book clubs and mentorship programmes. The Foundation’s previous initiatives included the 2020 International Literary Festivals Conference, the 2017 Dubai International Publishing Conference, and the 2016 Dubai Translation Conference.

Launched in 2020, the Kateb Maktub project is an initiative organized by the Emirates Literature Foundation in collaboration with the Wikimedians of UAE User group to drive significant increase in the number of Arab author pages on Wikipedia in both Arabic and English, bringing Arabic literature the attention and appreciation it deserves. To date, Kateb Maktub has successfully increased the number of pages on Wikipedia by more than 500%.

Visit emirateslitfest.com for more information.