Emirati Author Reem Alkamali Shortlisted for the Brics Literature Award

Emirati novelist, journalist and cultural researcher Reem Alkamali has been officially shortlisted for the inaugural BRICS Literature Award. The announcement places her among ten international authors recognised for their significant contributions to literature and cross-cultural storytelling. 

The award, launched in November 2024, aims to spotlight authors whose work reflects the cultural and spiritual values of the BRICS+-affiliated countries and promote translation and global dissemination of their writing. Members of this group include Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, Indonesia and Iran. 

Alkamali’s shortlisting marks an important milestone for Emirati literature on the global stage. Her 2021 novel Rose’s Diaries (sometimes rendered as Rose’s Diary) is set in the 1960s—before the UAE’s union—and was previously notable as the first Emirati novel to be nominated for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction.

Her earlier works include Sultanate of Hormuz (2013), winner of the Al Owais Creative Award, and Dalma’s Statue (2018), recipient of the Sharjah Prize for Arab Creativity. These achievements underscore her long-standing role in shaping Emirati narrative and literary creativity. 

Being shortlisted for the BRICS Literature Award expands her reach beyond the Arab region, opening doors to wider translation opportunities and international readership—especially given the prize’s explicit mission to foster cultural exchange among large emerging economies. 

As the winner is scheduled to be announced on 27 November 2025 in Moscow, the shortlist itself has already drawn attention and celebration in the UAE literary community. For Alkamali, the recognition serves as both a personal achievement and a high-profile acknowledgement of Emirati literature within global literary networks.