Middle East Monitor - The Latest from the Middle East

Press Release

03 September 2012

The Middle East Monitor is pleased to announce the shortlist of finalists for the inaugural MEMO Palestine Book Awards.

The panel of judges included Victoria Brittain (Former associate foreign editor of the Guardian and author); Ibrahim Darwish (Palestinian academic); Revd Canon Garth Hewitt (Canon of St George's Cathedral in Jerusalem); Dr Phyllis Starkey (Former Member of Parliament); and Dr Hanan Chehata (Former Press Officer of the Middle East Monitor).

The Middle East Monitor is proud to announce the launch of our latest initiative to draw attention to the Palestinian cause. MEMO will be hosting an annual award ceremony to celebrate the best books written in English on the subject of Palestine. The idea is to promote existing books on Palestine as well as to encourage new writers to write about this important topic drawing attention to a cause that is at the heart of the Arab-Israeli conflict.
 
In November 2012 we will be hosting a large dinner which will serve as an award ceremony in which a £2000 award will be gifted to the person judged to have written the "Best Book on Palestine 2011/2012". Two runners up will also be awarded £500 each. In addition to this the winners will receive plaques and will also be given the opportunity to have their books reviewed by our own experts and fellow practitioners. There will also be potential for interviews and other promotional opportunities for them to increase awareness and sales of their books.
 
The award ceremony will be held as an annual invitation-only dinner to which all the nominees will be invited as well as other publishers, authors, journalists, academics, politicians etc...

Our panel of five judges are:

1 Victoria Brittain (Former associate foreign editor of the Guardian and author)
2 Ibrahim Darwish (Palestinian Academic)
3 Revd Garth Hewitt, (Canon of St George's Cathedral in Jerusalem)
4 Dr Phyllis Starkey (Former Member of Parliament)
5 Dr Hanan Chehata (Press Officer of the Middle East Monitor)
 
The books that will be in the running to be considered for this prize will be those submitted by publishers, authors or chosen by the judges themselves.
 
Eligibility criteria
 
In order for the books to qualify the only eligibility criteria are that they:

• Must be written in English,
• Cannot be multi-author works,
• Must be published at some point between Jan 2011 and July 2012 (which is when the long-list will be drawn up),
• Judges must be able to receive a hardbound copy of each book,
• Should be works of non-fiction. Only a work of fiction that the judges feel is so important that it really should not go unconsidered will be included.

If you know of any publishers or authors who might qualify for consideration for these awards feel free to pass them our info and tell them to email us at: awards@memonitor.org.uk
 
In order for us to consider any books that they have published/written all that is required is for them to send us copies of the books they would like to put forward.

For further information email: awards@memonitor.org.uk