SPEAKER
Margaret Obank
Margaret Obank is a British publisher and writer known for her significant role in promoting contemporary Arabic literature in English translation. Born in Leeds, she studied philosophy and literature at the University of Leeds, and linguistics at Birkbeck College, London. She worked for many years in teaching, printing, and publishing.
Together with her husband, Iraqi author Samuel Shimon, she founded Banipal magazine in 1998—published three times a year and dedicated to the English translation of modern Arabic literature—with 75 issues released by 2022. Obank also established the Banipal Trust for Arab Literature, which administers the Saif Ghobash–Banipal Prize for Arabic Literary Translation; the Banipal‑Arab British Centre Library of Modern Arab Literature; and Banipal Books. She serves as a trustee of the International Prize for Arabic Fiction (IPAF) and is involved with the Centre for the Advanced Study of the Arab World.
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Sheikh Zayed Book Award
20 years of an award that has celebrated pivotal works and introduced us to influential figures. Join His Excellency Dr Ali Bin Tamim, Hessa Almehairi, Hoda Barakat, and Margaret Obank in a celebratory session reviewing the award’s impact on Arab and global culture.
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50.00 AED
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