Najat Al Jaith wins ' Cultural Personality of the Year' award in the UAE
In a first-of-its-kind precedent in the history of major literary and cultural awards, the Sheikh Zayed Book Award in its twentieth session for 2026 crowned the great artist Najat Al-Saghir with the title of "Cultural Personality of the Year", in recognition of her artistic and aesthetic career that spanned many decades and shaped the conscience of generations in the Arab world.
The award announced in an official statement on its digital platforms that the choice of the young Najat came because she is a unique singing stature, who succeeded in establishing a private art school that relies on high sense and improving public taste, stressing that she contributed substantially to consolidating the features of the classical Arabic song and preserving its identity.
The Guardian of the Arabic Poem
The statement pointed to the pioneering role played by "The Singing Lyre" in bringing the classical Arabic language closer to the audience, as it excelled in singing poems and turned them into timeless masterpieces, which strengthened the presence of the language and cemented it in the memory of successive generations, leaving an indelible legacy that reflects the authenticity of Arab creativity.
A journey full of creativity
Najat Al-Saghir, who combines Syrian roots with Egyptian nationality in her identity, began her artistic journey at a very young age as a "child prodigy", and later adopted an exceptional career that lasted for more than 30 years of continuous giving. Her creativity was not limited to the lyrical stage, but also extended to the cinema screen, where she presented 13 iconic films, during which she collaborated with leading composers and poets, to become an artistic icon that expresses the finest aesthetics of authentic Arabic music.
With this honor, the Sheikh Zayed Book Award opens new horizons by recognizing the cultural and linguistic role that fine music plays in shaping Arab consciousness, immortalizing the name of Najat Al-Saghir as the first singer to receive this prestigious cultural medal.
It is noteworthy that the artist Najat was born on August 11, 1936, her father of Syrian origin traveled to Egypt in 1912, where the star of the artist Najat rose in the sky of Tarab and was nicknamed the harp of Arab singing, and some described her as the owner of the warmest Egyptian voice among many qualities and titles.