Saad Al-Bazei is an academic and literary figure who was recently appointed chairman of the Golden Pen Award for Most Influential Literature by Turki Al-Sheikh, chairman of the General Entertainment Authority.
The prize, offering a total of $750,000 across multiple categories, aims to recognize fictional Arabic works with potential for film adaptation, as well as original screenplays.
An emeritus professor of English language and literature at King Saud University’s faculty of arts, Al-Bazei brings a wealth of experience to his new role.
His career includes academia and public service, and he has served on the board of directors of the Ministry of Culture’s Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission since July 2020.
Al-Bazei has enjoyed a distinguished career in the cultural and media sectors. Notable roles include serving as the secretary-general of the King Khalid Award, president of the Literary Club in Riyadh, and editor-in-chief of the periodical publication, Hukul.
He was also editor-in-chief for both the Global Arab Encyclopedia and Tawbad Magazine at the Saudi Arabian Society for Culture and Arts between 1997 and 1998.
Furthermore, Al-Bazei contributed his expertise as general supervisor of the Riyadh Daily newspaper between 1986 and 1988 and as an adviser to the Ministry of Higher Education from 1985-1986.
He has held numerous positions at King Saud University and became a professor in 1998. He served as head of the English language and literature department from 1993-1997 and was promoted to associate professor in 1991.
In addition to his academic roles, Al-Bazei was a founding member of the editorial boards of Qawafel Magazine and Al-Nass Al-Jadid. In 2009 he joined the Saudi Shoura Council and served as a member of the advisory body of the Saudi Ministry of Culture from 2003 to 2005. He is also a member of the Modern Language Association in the US.
Al-Bazei is a prolific writer, having authored numerous books and critical literary studies. His work includes “The Jewish Component in Western Civilization.”
He has published several scientific and literary research papers and reviews in international peer-reviewed journals. Additionally, Al-Bazei is an accomplished translator with seven books in various cultural areas.
Al-Bazei graduated from King Saud University in 1974 with a bachelor’s degree in English and earned his master’s degree and Ph.D. in English and American literature from Purdue University in 1978 and 1983 respectively.
