The International Prize for Arabic Fiction was officially launched in Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), in April 2007. It is the result of a collaborative effort by the Booker Prize Foundation, the Emirates Foundation and the Weidenfeld Institute for Strategic Dialogue, whose aim was to develop a dedicated prize for Arabic fiction.

A steering committee of Arab literary experts, publishers and journalists was established to advise on the set-up of the Prize and its independent Board of Trustees, whose members have been drawn from across the Arab and Anglophone worlds, and are responsible for the overall management of the prize. The Emirates Foundation pledged its financial and substantive support for the initiative.

ZU has hosted the winners of International Prize for Arabic Fiction through a discussion session lead (in Arabic) by the Arabic and Islamic department .

-  Yousef Zeidan                     Beelzebub
-  Enaam Kaja Je                The American Granddaughter
-  Al Habib Al Selmi             The Scents of Marie-Claire
-  Ibrahim Nasr Allah           Time of White Horses
-  Fawaz Haddad              The Unfaithful Translator