Morocco's Bensalem Himmich receives 2009 Naguib Mahfouz Award for Literature

    The award was presented to the Moroccan intellectual at the opening ceremony of the annual conference of the Egyptian Writers' Union, held this year under the theme "Al-Quds and the literature of resistance."

    During this ceremony, organized as part of festivities celebrating the city of Al-Quds as capital of Arab Culture in 2009, the Moroccan novelist said he was "proud" of this prestigious award.

    He voiced hope to see an Arab union established following the example of the European Union, calling on Arab countries to endeavour to overcome this difficult situation the Arab Ummah is experiencing.

    President of the jury, Mohamed Sayed Aid, said Himmich is a writer who can easily use his knowledge assets to raise topical issues without falling into the trap of imitation.

    “The prize was awarded to Himmich as a reward for his talents in various fields such as poetry, short story, novel and philosophical and historical studies,” He said.

    Professor of Philosophy at the Mohammed V University in Rabat, Bensalem Himmich is the author of several literary and philosophical works in Arabic and French.