The 6th FABA Literary Prize Highlights the Vitality of Tunisian Fiction in Arabic and French
The sixth edition of the Abdelwaheb Ben Ayed Foundation (FABA) Literary Prize, awarded on September 27, 2026, in Gammarth, shines a spotlight on the vibrant landscape of Tunisian novels written in both Arabic and French.
A Challenging Selection Process
The jury, composed of academics, educators, and cultural figures, faced significant difficulty in establishing the shortlist and selecting the winners. The panel was deliberately structured to ensure balance across genders and generations, combining experienced voices with newer perspectives to foster cross-debates between Arabic and French literary traditions.
Notable jury members include Hend Soudani, a university professor of literature, and Raouf Medelgi, a French teacher, cultural actor, and writer.
Jury President Samia Kassab Charfi emphasized the critical importance of reading, describing it as a "mental health necessity." The jury evaluated a substantial number of manuscripts, prioritizing the following criteria:
- Originality of themes
- Strength of literary creation
- The book’s ability to captivate the reader
- Modernity of the writing style
Shortlists and Winners
This year, the prize focused on two main categories: Novels in Arabic and Novels in French, with three finalists in each category.
Novels in Arabic
Finalists:
- Al-Qalada al-Rusiyya (The Russian Necklace) — Mohamed Issa Almouaddab
- Kumidiya al-Janāʾiz (Comedy of Funerals) — Sofien Rjab
- Ḥulm al-Ḥalawz (The Snail’s Dream) — Aymen Daboussi
Winners:
- Mohamed Issa Almouaddab
- Sofien Rjab
Novels in French
Finalists:
- L’Aube poindra aux heures prochaines (Dawn Will Break in the Coming Hours) — Taha Laghmani (Éditions Demeter)
- Abba Abba, la pierre de convoitise (Abba Abba, The Coveted Stone) — Soufiane Ben Farhat (Éditions Arcadia)
- La Maison qui parle (The House That Speaks) — Zouhaïr Ben Amor (Contraste Éditions)
Winners:
- Soufiane Ben Farhat
- Zouhaïr Ben Amor
The winners of both categories were announced during the ceremony on September 27, 2026. Each laureate received a prize of 10,000 Tunisian dinars.
Quality and Difficulty in Selection
Raouf Medelgi highlighted that the defining characteristic of this edition was the high quality of the submitted novels, which were "quite promising" in terms of style, narrative, and specific writing techniques. "It was very difficult to distinguish between them," he explained, noting that the jury had "a lot, a lot, a lot of trouble" establishing the shortlist and selecting a single winner.
To arrive at the six final novels, the jury reviewed 16 French-language novels and 12 Arabic-language novels, all of which were deemed "deserving."
Tunisian Roots and Thematic Originality
Hend Soudani noted that the Arabic-language novels featured original themes, including the treatment of minorities, references to theater, and mythological elements. In contrast, the French-language novels displayed a strong sense of "localization." For instance, Sofiane Ben Farhat’s work is set in Takrouna, while Zouhaïr Ben Amor’s is set in Zahra.
This approach to writing Tunisian history in specific locations grants Tunisia international visibility while addressing universal themes.
When asked to summarize this edition with a phrase or keyword, Hend Soudani proposed: "Diversity, Tunisian roots, and originality." Raouf Medelgi, for his part, described the edition in three words: "Passionate, pleasant, and promising."
Ultimately, the sixth edition of the FABA prizes illustrates not only the richness of Tunisian literary production but also the essential role of the book in education, the formation of critical thinking, and cultural development.
