Home Correspondent
Two hundred guests gathered at Senate House, London, on 23rd November to celebrate this year’s Young Muslim Writers Awards (YMWA). The event highlighted the creativity of young writers across the UK and announced winners in five categories: Short Story, Poetry, News Report, Screenplay, and Play Script.
Now in its 14th year, YMWA, a project by UK charity Muslim Hands in partnership with the Institute of English Studies at the School of Advanced Study (University of London), continues to promote child literacy and creativity. Thousands of children have joined its workshops and nationwide writing competition to discover the UK’s best young writers. This year, 13 winners were selected by a panel of 30 industry judges, with each considered for the prestigious Writer of the Year.
Among the youngest winners were Suhaymah Hussain, who impressed judges with her Key Stage 1 Poetry entry, Alhamdulillah, and Faatimah Naeem Ali, whose short story Mr Smarty Pants earned her the Key Stage 1 Short Story prize. In Key Stage 2, Zayd I. A. emerged as a standout talent, claiming awards in both Poetry for Watched and Short Story for Wings of Freedom.
Key Stage 3 winners included Sophiya Saleem for her poignant poem Shards of Glass and Fathima Zoya Sameen for her reflective short story Lying to Myself. Thalia S. A. showcased her versatility, winning in three categories: News Report with Cycle to School Week – Healthier, Happier Students, Screenplay with Bittersweet, and Play Script with Pretty Much Psychic. Additionally, Zayd I. A. received a second accolade in this category for his News Report entry, Squash: A Game of Agility, Strategy, and Mind.
At the Key Stage 4 level, Faezah Hussain’s evocative poem Ghost Writers earned her recognition, alongside Fizza Rasool’s Yearning in the Mirror. Maryam Aishah Hussain was celebrated for her compelling short story When Dania Was Twelve. Faezah Hussain’s achievements culminated in her being named Writer of the Year.
Shahid Bashir, Deputy CEO of Muslim Hands, highlighted the importance of storytelling, emphasising how it allows children to see themselves in their narratives while building understanding and dissolving barriers. “These young writers, by sharing their voices, offer a gift not only to themselves and their communities but to all of society,” he said.
Professor Clare Lees, Director of the Institute of English Studies, added, “With our words, we can speak, and we can change the world. We communicate, argue, tell jokes, persuade, invent, explore, have fun, and praise.”
The event featured prominent presenters, including senior BBC News journalist Yasmin Khatun Dewan, poet Amina Atiq, award-winning playwright and actor Asif Khan, children’s author Sufiya Ahmed, and seven-time YMWA winner Ameerah Kola-Olukotun. Guests enjoyed readings from winning entries and a performance of the Yemeni tale ‘The Garden of Abu Hakim’ by actor and director Mo Sesay.
Photo: Muslim Hands Deputy CEO Shahid Bashir, Key Stage 3 Poetry Winner Sophiya Saleem, and three-time award winner Zayd I. A. addressing the guests at the awards ceremony. (Photo courtesy of Muslim Hands)
