من اللافت في المشهد الثقافي عربياً أن الأضواء تتدافع، والإعلام يتسابق، والمؤسسات تنطلق، وراء الشخصيات الأدبية المحظوظة بحصدها الجوائز، علماً أن بعضها يسكن الظلّ أعواماً، دون أي التفاتة أو عناية، وفي وهج الفرح بالاهتمام المتزامن مع الفوز بجائزة، وربما يقع القارئ في حيرة من أمره، فالبعض تعنيه الكتابة التي تلامس وجدانه، فيما يميل آخرون للعمل المُزكّى بالتكريم والفوز، وهنا استطلاع رأي نخبة، حول هذه الاشكالية القائمة، في محاولة لإعادة الاعتبار للكاتب النوعي سواء حصل على جائزة أو حُرِم منها، فيرى الكاتب هاشم الجحدلي أن الجوائز وملابساتها غدت موضوع الساعة في مشهدنا الثقافي العربي؛ لأسباب منها أن الجائزة في أصلها العربي كانت تكريماً على تألق متفرّد من طرف مؤهل للتقييم ويملك القدرة على المنح، لافتاً إلى أنه مع الوقت تغيّرت السياقات وغدا الفوز انتزاعاً من حلبة تنافسية لها حكام ورعاة ومانحون، ثم آلت الأمور إلى صيغة لا يمكن القبض عليها، فصارت «الجائزة» فعلاً ملتبساً له عشرات المعاني والحالات والتأويلات.
وأوضح الجحدلي أن جائزة نوبل مهما شابها من تعثر وسوء تقدير وتوجيه مستفز إلا أنها جائزة معتبرة، تعطي للأديب قيمتين معنوية ومادية، وربما في حالات كثيرة تكون المعنوية أكبر بتسليطها الأضواء على الفائز ونتاجه بشكل يفوق التصور وبكل لغات العالم، ما يدفع الإعلام والمؤسسات للتزاحم على باب الفائز حدّ تذمّره، من الحفلات الإضافية التي تبني مجدها على وهج الفوز، مضيفاً أن الروائي الكبير نجيب محفوظ عقب فوزه بجائزة نوبل، وانهمار الفلاشات عليه، وكثرة طلبات الإعلاميين لمقابلاته قال: «يبدو أنني صرت موظفاً عند نوبل!». وأضاف: ليست كل الجوائز لها هذه الأصداء فهناك جوائز قيمتها المادية/ المالية كبيرة ولكن على أرض الواقع لا معنى ولا أحد يتباهى بها، ويشارك بها الأدباء لكسب مغانمها، مؤكداً أن الجوائز العربية التكريمية أصدق كونها غالباً تمنح لمستحق مع ندرتها، مشيراً إلى أن هناك الجوائز التي ترتبط بجهة أو لجان وكلما تغيرت اللجان تتغير هويتها وتتحول إلى جائزة مختلفة مثل جوائز معارض الكتب السنوية أو المهرجات.
وعدّ بعض الجوائز هبات أو منحاً، تلبس رداء المسابقات أو الترشيحات، ومثلها جوائز تفصّل بمقاس من تُمنح له، دون أن يعرف أحد لماذا؟ ولكنها تحدث دوياً لمدة شهرين تقريباً والشاطر من يبهر المؤسسات التي يعمل تحت مظلتها على أهميتها وأهميته. ويرى الجحدلي أن منح الجوائز بهذا التركيبة يغدو شكلاً من العبث والفوضى وفرصة سانحة لا يفوّتها قناص الفرص.
فيما ذهب الشاعر جاسم الصحيّح إلى أن الجوائز محطات تكريمية عابرة على طريق الإبداع الذي لا ينتهي ولا يتوقف، مؤكداً أن الأديب الذي يعمل بجدّ على تطوير تجربته يستحق الفوز بالجوائز التكريمية. والسؤال هنا: هل تتعامل المؤسسات الثقافية مع الأديب بشكل مغاير بعد أن يفوز بجائزة؟!
ولفت الصحيّح إلى أنّ بعض الأدباء يعيشون في الظل ويكبرون فيه ويتألقون أيضاً.. وعندما يفوز أحدهم بجائزة كبرى، يلفت النظر إلى منجزه، وتحتفي به المؤسسات الثقافية، وتزحف إليه الدعوات للمشاركة في المهرجانات المتنوعة، وبذلك يستطيع تحقيق حضوره في المشهد بسرعة.. وهذا أمر طبيعي.
وأضاف: المسابقات كثرت الآن، منها ما هو مرتبط بالمحلية، ومنها ما هو مرتبط بالوطن العربي، ومنها ما هو مرتبط بالعالمية، وعدّ مطاردة المؤسسات الأديب عقب فوزه لتجيير منجزه لها، غير دقيق؛ كون هناك مؤسسات تدعم الأديب من بدايته، وتشارك بمنجزه في المسابقات الأدبية، ويرى أن من حقها عند الفوز أن تعتبر نفسها شريكاً معنويّاً في هذا الفوز، وليس شريكاً ماديّاً.
فيما ذهبت الشاعرة اللبنانية عبير حسن علّام إلى أنَّ مِنَ القيِّمين على المؤسسات الثقافية والإعلامية من لا يُتابع الأدباء وإصداراتهم. لا يواكبهم، ولا يلقي بالاً لموهبتهم وتميُّزهم، مؤكدةً أن الاهتمام مُنصَبّ على المردود المادِّي وعلى ركوب موجة الترند. مضيفة أنَّ مما يزعج أنَّ هذه المؤسسات عينها تولي كلَّ اهتمامها فجأةً -وبتوجيهٍ من القائمين عليها- بالأديب الذي كان مغموراً قبل الجائزة، أو الذي لم تكن قبلها تلقي لهُ بالاً. ويحصل ذلك للأسباب التجارية عينها ولركوب موجة الترند مرَّةً أخرى.
فيما يرى الخبير الثقافي الدكتور أحمد سماحة، أنه لا يستطيع أن يؤكد ذلك، فأحياناً تنتبه المؤسسات عقب نشر الإعلام وأحياناً ينتبه الإعلام، إثر المؤسسات، عبر رؤى وحوارات وتغطية الفعاليات التي يشارك فيها الكاتب وأحياناً كثيرة يضحي الأمر مجرد حدث شأن باقي الأحداث الثقافية. وأضاف: على سبيل المثال فاز كاتب روائي مصري أخيراً بجائزة البوكر ما لفت نظر الإعلام الذي لم يتابع إبداعاته ونشاطاته الثقافية قبل ذلك، وسُلّطت عليه الأضواء لفترة وانتهى الأمر، وحمّل الكاتب مسؤولية كونه يكتب وينشر عبر دائرة محدودة رغم انتشار وسائل الاتصال ومنها الفيس بوك وتويتر وغيرهما، وانتشار الجهات الثقافية الخاصة والعامة منها المنتديات وجمعيات الثقافة واتحادات الكتاب، وتطلّع إلى أن تضطلع وسائل الإعلام وأقسام الثقافة بمتابعة الحركة الثقافية بكل جوانبها، وأضاف: عندما يقوم كل كيان بدوره يضحي الأمر طبيعياً، وتتأكد أهمية الثقافة والإبداع في النهضة الشاملة للمجتمع.
أسامة المسلم: الاعتراف الخارجي أسهم في لفت الأنظار إلينا
أوضح الروائي أسامة المسلم أنه بالنسبة لما يتعلق بالحفاوة والتكريم، كانت هناك حفاوة كبيرة جداً في جميع المعارض والبلاد والمدن العربية التي زرتها من قِبل القراء الأعزاء وكذلك المنظمين لهذه المعارض، وتشرفت في عدد منها بدعوة خاصة للقاء وزراء الثقافة فيها، وحظيت بدعوات تكريم وتقدير من سفاراتنا السعودية في هذه الدول، إلا أن جائزة وزارة الثقافة للأدب لعام 2024 هي الأهم بالنسبة لي من حيث الاحتفاء والتكريم اللذين سعدت بهما جداً؛ لأنهما صادران من أهم جهة ثقافية في بلادي، وكانت لكلمات التشجيع والإشادة أثناء استلامها من وزير الثقافة الأمير بدر بن فرحان أثر بالغ جداً في نفسي، وحظيت باهتمام ودعوات كريمة للمشاركة في كثيرٍ من الفعاليات التي تقيمها وزارة الإعلام، واهتمام شخصي من الوزير سلمان الدوسري، ووكيل الوزارة الدكتور عبدالله المغلوث، ما كان له أثر عميق في دعمي وتشجيعي على مواصلة الإنتاج في مساري الكتابي.
وعن لفت الخارج انتباه الداخل، ففيما يتعلق بالقراء والمجتمع القرائي كنت معروفاً لديهم بشكل كبير وفي جميع حفلات التوقيع؛ التي تقام داخل المدن السعودية سواء في معارض الكتاب أو المكتبات الخاصة، كانت تكتظ القاعة بالزوار، وتمتد حفلات التوقيع لساعات طويلة جداً، نضطر معها أحياناً لتمديد الوقت إلى ساعات الصباح الأولى، وهذا موضع تقدير وامتنان كبير مني لهم، أما بعض الأوساط الثقافية والإعلامية، فيمكن القول إن الاعتراف الخارجي أسهم في لفت أنظارهم، ربما لأن هذه الأوساط لا تواكب دائماً اهتمامات الجيل الجديد، وبالتالي لا تلتقط ما يستوقف القارئ المعاصر إلا عقب أن يثبت حضوره في مساحة أوسع.
من دونها يكادون يكونون نسْيَاً منسيّاً
وهج الجوائز والتكريم يلفت انتباه «المؤسسات» للمبدعين
5 سبتمبر 2025 - 00:40
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آخر تحديث 5 سبتمبر 2025 - 14:20
تابع قناة عكاظ على الواتساب
علي الرباعي (الباحة) Al_ARobai@
It is striking in the Arab cultural scene that the spotlight is rushing, the media is competing, and institutions are launching themselves behind the literary figures fortunate enough to win awards, knowing that some of them dwell in the shadows for years without any attention or care. In the glow of joy that comes with the simultaneous interest following an award win, the reader may find themselves confused; some are touched by writing that resonates with their emotions, while others lean towards the work that is validated by recognition and victory. Here is a survey of elite opinions on this existing issue, in an attempt to restore value to the qualitative writer, whether they have won an award or have been deprived of one. Writer Hashem Al-Jahdali sees that awards and their circumstances have become the topic of the hour in our Arab cultural scene. This is due to the fact that the award, in its original Arab context, was a recognition of unique brilliance from a qualified evaluator who has the ability to grant it. He points out that over time, the contexts have changed, and winning has become a matter of seizing from a competitive arena with judges, sponsors, and donors, leading to a situation that cannot be grasped, making the "award" an ambiguous act with dozens of meanings, cases, and interpretations.
Al-Jahdali clarified that the Nobel Prize, despite its occasional missteps and frustrating evaluations, remains a respected award that provides the writer with both moral and material values. In many cases, the moral value is greater as it shines a spotlight on the winner and their work in a way that exceeds imagination and in all the world's languages, prompting the media and institutions to crowd around the winner to the point of their annoyance with the additional events that build their glory on the glow of victory. He added that the great novelist Naguib Mahfouz, after winning the Nobel Prize and being bombarded with flashes and numerous requests for interviews, said: "It seems that I have become an employee of the Nobel!" He further noted that not all awards have such echoes; there are awards with significant material/financial value, but in reality, they hold no meaning, and no one boasts about them, with writers participating to gain their benefits. He emphasized that Arab honorary awards are more sincere as they are often given to deserving individuals, despite their rarity. He pointed out that there are awards linked to entities or committees, and whenever the committees change, their identity changes, transforming into a different award, such as those given at annual book fairs or festivals.
Some awards are considered gifts or grants, dressed in the guise of competitions or nominations, and similar awards are tailored to fit the recipient without anyone knowing why. However, they create a buzz for about two months, and the clever one dazzles the institutions under whose umbrella they work, regardless of their importance and significance. Al-Jahdali believes that granting awards in this manner becomes a form of absurdity and chaos, a golden opportunity that no opportunity sniper would miss.
Meanwhile, poet Jassim Al-Suhayyih stated that awards are fleeting honorary stops on the endless road of creativity, affirming that a writer who diligently works on developing their experience deserves to win honorary awards. The question here is: Do cultural institutions treat the writer differently after they win an award?!
Al-Suhayyih pointed out that some writers live in the shadows, grow in them, and shine as well. When one of them wins a major award, it draws attention to their achievements, and cultural institutions celebrate them, leading to invitations for participation in various festivals, thus enabling them to establish their presence in the scene quickly. This is a natural occurrence.
He added: Competitions have increased now, some linked to local contexts, others to the Arab world, and others to global contexts. He considered the pursuit of institutions after a writer wins to claim their achievement as inaccurate; there are institutions that support the writer from the beginning and participate in their achievements in literary competitions. He believes that it is their right, upon winning, to consider themselves a moral partner in this victory, not a material partner.
Meanwhile, Lebanese poet Abir Hassan Allam noted that some of those in charge of cultural and media institutions do not follow writers and their publications. They do not keep up with them and do not pay attention to their talent and distinction, emphasizing that the focus is on material returns and riding the trend wave. She added that what is bothersome is that these very institutions suddenly direct all their attention—under the guidance of those in charge—towards the writer who was obscure before the award or who had not received any attention prior to it. This occurs for the same commercial reasons and to ride the trend wave once again.
Cultural expert Dr. Ahmed Samaha stated that he cannot confirm this, as sometimes institutions notice after media coverage, and sometimes the media notices after the institutions, through visions, dialogues, and coverage of events in which the writer participates. Often, it becomes just another event like other cultural events. He added: For example, a Egyptian novelist recently won the Booker Prize, which drew the attention of the media that had not followed his creativity and cultural activities before. The spotlight was on him for a while, and then it ended. He held the writer responsible for writing and publishing within a limited circle despite the spread of communication means like Facebook, Twitter, and others, as well as the proliferation of cultural entities, both private and public, such as forums, cultural associations, and writers' unions. He hopes that media outlets and cultural departments will take on the task of following the cultural movement in all its aspects. He added: When each entity performs its role, it becomes a natural matter, and the importance of culture and creativity in the comprehensive renaissance of society is confirmed.
Osama Al-Muslim: External recognition has contributed to drawing attention to us
Novelist Osama Al-Muslim clarified that regarding the reception and recognition, there was a very warm welcome in all the exhibitions and Arab countries and cities he visited from dear readers as well as the organizers of these exhibitions. He was honored in several of them with a special invitation to meet the culture ministers there and received invitations for recognition and appreciation from our Saudi embassies in these countries. However, the Ministry of Culture's award for literature in 2024 is the most important for him in terms of the celebration and recognition he was very pleased with, as it comes from the most important cultural entity in his country. The words of encouragement and praise he received while receiving it from the Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Farhan had a profound impact on him, and he received attention and gracious invitations to participate in many events organized by the Ministry of Media, along with personal attention from Minister Salman Al-Dosari and Undersecretary Dr. Abdullah Al-Maghlouth, which had a deep impact on supporting and encouraging him to continue producing in his writing path.
Regarding the external attention drawing the attention of the internal scene, in terms of readers and the reading community, he was well-known to them, and in all the signing events held in Saudi cities, whether at book fairs or private libraries, the halls were crowded with visitors, and the signing events often extended for very long hours, sometimes requiring them to extend the time into the early morning hours. This is a matter of great appreciation and gratitude from him to them. As for some cultural and media circles, it can be said that external recognition has contributed to drawing their attention, perhaps because these circles do not always keep up with the interests of the new generation, and thus do not capture what captures the contemporary reader's attention until after he establishes his presence in a broader space.
Al-Jahdali clarified that the Nobel Prize, despite its occasional missteps and frustrating evaluations, remains a respected award that provides the writer with both moral and material values. In many cases, the moral value is greater as it shines a spotlight on the winner and their work in a way that exceeds imagination and in all the world's languages, prompting the media and institutions to crowd around the winner to the point of their annoyance with the additional events that build their glory on the glow of victory. He added that the great novelist Naguib Mahfouz, after winning the Nobel Prize and being bombarded with flashes and numerous requests for interviews, said: "It seems that I have become an employee of the Nobel!" He further noted that not all awards have such echoes; there are awards with significant material/financial value, but in reality, they hold no meaning, and no one boasts about them, with writers participating to gain their benefits. He emphasized that Arab honorary awards are more sincere as they are often given to deserving individuals, despite their rarity. He pointed out that there are awards linked to entities or committees, and whenever the committees change, their identity changes, transforming into a different award, such as those given at annual book fairs or festivals.
Some awards are considered gifts or grants, dressed in the guise of competitions or nominations, and similar awards are tailored to fit the recipient without anyone knowing why. However, they create a buzz for about two months, and the clever one dazzles the institutions under whose umbrella they work, regardless of their importance and significance. Al-Jahdali believes that granting awards in this manner becomes a form of absurdity and chaos, a golden opportunity that no opportunity sniper would miss.
Meanwhile, poet Jassim Al-Suhayyih stated that awards are fleeting honorary stops on the endless road of creativity, affirming that a writer who diligently works on developing their experience deserves to win honorary awards. The question here is: Do cultural institutions treat the writer differently after they win an award?!
Al-Suhayyih pointed out that some writers live in the shadows, grow in them, and shine as well. When one of them wins a major award, it draws attention to their achievements, and cultural institutions celebrate them, leading to invitations for participation in various festivals, thus enabling them to establish their presence in the scene quickly. This is a natural occurrence.
He added: Competitions have increased now, some linked to local contexts, others to the Arab world, and others to global contexts. He considered the pursuit of institutions after a writer wins to claim their achievement as inaccurate; there are institutions that support the writer from the beginning and participate in their achievements in literary competitions. He believes that it is their right, upon winning, to consider themselves a moral partner in this victory, not a material partner.
Meanwhile, Lebanese poet Abir Hassan Allam noted that some of those in charge of cultural and media institutions do not follow writers and their publications. They do not keep up with them and do not pay attention to their talent and distinction, emphasizing that the focus is on material returns and riding the trend wave. She added that what is bothersome is that these very institutions suddenly direct all their attention—under the guidance of those in charge—towards the writer who was obscure before the award or who had not received any attention prior to it. This occurs for the same commercial reasons and to ride the trend wave once again.
Cultural expert Dr. Ahmed Samaha stated that he cannot confirm this, as sometimes institutions notice after media coverage, and sometimes the media notices after the institutions, through visions, dialogues, and coverage of events in which the writer participates. Often, it becomes just another event like other cultural events. He added: For example, a Egyptian novelist recently won the Booker Prize, which drew the attention of the media that had not followed his creativity and cultural activities before. The spotlight was on him for a while, and then it ended. He held the writer responsible for writing and publishing within a limited circle despite the spread of communication means like Facebook, Twitter, and others, as well as the proliferation of cultural entities, both private and public, such as forums, cultural associations, and writers' unions. He hopes that media outlets and cultural departments will take on the task of following the cultural movement in all its aspects. He added: When each entity performs its role, it becomes a natural matter, and the importance of culture and creativity in the comprehensive renaissance of society is confirmed.
Osama Al-Muslim: External recognition has contributed to drawing attention to us
Novelist Osama Al-Muslim clarified that regarding the reception and recognition, there was a very warm welcome in all the exhibitions and Arab countries and cities he visited from dear readers as well as the organizers of these exhibitions. He was honored in several of them with a special invitation to meet the culture ministers there and received invitations for recognition and appreciation from our Saudi embassies in these countries. However, the Ministry of Culture's award for literature in 2024 is the most important for him in terms of the celebration and recognition he was very pleased with, as it comes from the most important cultural entity in his country. The words of encouragement and praise he received while receiving it from the Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Farhan had a profound impact on him, and he received attention and gracious invitations to participate in many events organized by the Ministry of Media, along with personal attention from Minister Salman Al-Dosari and Undersecretary Dr. Abdullah Al-Maghlouth, which had a deep impact on supporting and encouraging him to continue producing in his writing path.
Regarding the external attention drawing the attention of the internal scene, in terms of readers and the reading community, he was well-known to them, and in all the signing events held in Saudi cities, whether at book fairs or private libraries, the halls were crowded with visitors, and the signing events often extended for very long hours, sometimes requiring them to extend the time into the early morning hours. This is a matter of great appreciation and gratitude from him to them. As for some cultural and media circles, it can be said that external recognition has contributed to drawing their attention, perhaps because these circles do not always keep up with the interests of the new generation, and thus do not capture what captures the contemporary reader's attention until after he establishes his presence in a broader space.