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Rabat – Prominent German philosopher and sociologist, Juergen Habermas, rejected the UAE’s Zayed Book Award alongside a reward of $272,249 citing his democratic principles go against those of the Emirati political system.
Habermas initially accepted the Sheikh Zayed Book Award, but he changed his mind, deeming it as the “wrong decision.” Concerns over the human rights situation in the UAE made him reconsider accepting the award.
“I declared my willingness to accept this year’s Sheikh Zayed Book Award. That was a wrong decision, which I correct hereby,” Habermas said in a statement conveyed to the German news site Spiegel Online through his publisher Suhrkamp Verlag.
“I didn’t sufficiently make clear to myself the very close connection of the institution, which awards these prizes in Abu Dhabi, with the existing political system there.”
Habermas was awarded “Cultural Personality of the Year.”
Sheikh Zayed Book Award
The Sheikh Zayed Book Award is named after the late Abu Dhabi ruler, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Al Nahyan ruled Abu Dhabi for over 30 years. He died in 2004, aged 86.
The annual award is a recognition of people’s work for humanity.
“The Award, and its associated accolades, are presented annually to outstanding writers, intellectuals, and publishers, as well as a young talent whose writing and translation in humanities objectively enrich Arab intellectual, cultural, literary, and social life,” according to the description found on the award’s website.
Human rights situation in the UAE
According to reports from the international media, the UAE has been cracking down on the media’s freedom of expression and punishing its system’s opponents.
The UAE is also criticized for exploiting workers from India, Bangladesh, and other countries under its kafala system. In addition to exploiting migrants, the UAE is also facing accusations of killing innocent civilians over its involvement with Saudi Arabia in a war against Houthi rebels in Yemen.
