Knowledge Exchange: Outreach and Community Engagement

Reading

AUM fosters a culture of reading and lifelong learning through initiatives that promote literacy, intellectual curiosity, and community engagement. By organizing and hosting story telling programs, literary events, and partnerships with schools and cultural institutions, AUM extends its impact beyond the campus to support educational and cultural development in Kuwait. 

Al-Multaqa Prize Ceremonies

AlMultaqa prize is one of the most renowned prizes for short story in the Arab world and an international reference among Arabic storytellers. It was founded in 2015, with the sponsorship of the American University of the Middle East. It aims at honoring authors from around the world for their contributions to Arabic storytelling.

As part of AUM efforts to promote culture and Arabic storytelling and strengthen it locally and internationally, AUM partnered with Al-Multaqa Prize and became the host for its 3 editions with the participation of international literary and public figures, featuring open dialogues with the authors of the shortlisted story collections, in addition to various lectures, symposiums, and dialogues.

• Al-Multaqa Prize Ceremony Fourth Edition was held on December 3-4, 2019. In this edition, 209 short story collections were received from 22 countries. Sheikha Hessein Heleiwi was announced as the winner of the prize for this edition.

• Al-Multaqa Prize Ceremony Fifth Edition was held on February 6-8, 2023. In this edition, 241 short story collections were received from 23 countries, with 33% female participation. The Moroccan storyteller Anis Al-Rafei Heleiwi was announced as the winner of the prize for this edition.

• Al-Multaqa Prize Ceremony Sixth Edition was held on March 5-6, 2024. In this edition, 198 short story collections were received from 23 countries, with 28% female participation. The Egyptian storyteller Samir AlFeil was announced as the winner of the prize for this edition.

Sample press release