Comar d'Or 2026 awards celebrate Tunisian literature, physician wins top French prize

Tunisia's literary scene was celebrated at the 30th annual Comar d'Or literary awards ceremony in Tunis, honoring outstanding novels in both Arabic and French. This year's event marked a significant milestone, showcasing a record number of submissions and increased prize money.

Dr. Hichem Ben Azouz, a physician and first-time novelist, received the prestigious Comar d'Or in the French language category for his debut work, "Sangoma le guérisseur," published by Hikayet. In the Arabic language category, the top prize was awarded to Nasr Belhaj Bettaieb for his novel "Saif Assaouane," released by Khraief editions.

Established in 1997 by COMAR Assurances, the Comar d'Or awards have grown substantially over three decades. This year's competition featured a record 92 novels, with 59 in Arabic and 33 in French, a stark contrast to the 13 works submitted in the inaugural year. The financial rewards also saw an increase, with the Comar d'Or prize money rising from 10,000 to 15,000 dinars.

Additional accolades included the Special Jury Prizes, each worth 7,000 dinars. Hella Feki was recognized in French for "Une reine sans Royaume" (JC Lattès), and Fahmi Al-Balti received the award in Arabic for "Dam Saye'e" (Kabsa). The Discovery Prizes, aimed at emerging authors and carrying a 3,000 dinar reward, went to Sofiene Ben M'rad for "Tunis Arkana" (SIKELLI) in French and Najoua Kadri for "Al Majda" (Arkadia) in Arabic.

The ceremony also paid tribute to prominent figures in Tunisian literature, including Chokri Mabkhout, Yamen Manaï, and Faouzia Zouari. The evening concluded with a performance by the Carthage Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Hafedh Makni, underscoring the rich cultural tapestry of Tunisia.