Ibrahim Nasrallah Wins the 2026 Neustadt Prize

World Literature Today, the University of Oklahoma’s award-winning magazine of international literature and culture, today announced Ibrahim Nasrallah as the 29th laureate of the prestigious Neustadt International Prize for Literature. 

Awarded in alternating years with the NSK Neustadt Prize for Children’s and Young Adult Literature, the Neustadt Prize recognizes outstanding literary merit in literature worldwide.

Ibrahim Nasrallah was born in Amman, Jordan, in 1954 to Palestinian parents uprooted in 1948. Raised in the Al-Wehdat refugee camp, he began his career as a teacher in Saudi Arabia. A prolific poet, novelist, painter, and photographer, Nasrallah has published over forty works, including novels that form part of his celebrated Palestinian Comedy series. His writing, deeply rooted in themes of exile, identity, and resistance, has been translated into multiple languages, earning him international acclaim as one of the most important voices in contemporary Arab literature. 

Nasrallah was nominated for the prize by Shereen Malherbe, an award-winning author of novels and a children’s book series. With books being translated into multiple languages, she is recognized for her work with various media organizations as an advocate for authentic Palestinian voices.

In her nominating statement, Malherbe said that “Nasrallah’s literary works span universal issues and themes woven into the Palestinian struggle that allow readers to connect deeply with Palestine outside of a colonial framework.” She went on to say that his work “is now more important than ever considering the plight of Palestinians. It is time the world sees the true Palestine, and Nasrallah’s work can offer this perspective.”

Robert Con Davis-Undiano, World Literature Today’s executive director, echoed Malherbe’s sense of urgency, noting that “his winning this award will mark a significant moment in the Western reapproach to Palestian culture.” 

Kathy Neustadt, representing the Neustadt family, made the announcement during the annual Neustadt Lit Fest. The next Lit Fest will be held in Nasrallah’s honor in fall 2026. His poem "Late Olives" appeared in the "Palestine Voices" issue of WLT in 2021, and his interview with Shereen Malherbe appeared in the July 2023 issue.

Highly respected within the literary community for its recognition of excellence, the Neustadt Prize is often referenced as the “American Nobel” for its reputation as a lead-up to the Swedish Academy’s annual selection. Any living author writing from anywhere in the world is eligible for the Neustadt Prize. The jury is composed of acclaimed international authors, and that fact helps shield the award from external pressure by booksellers, publishers, and others who may have interest in influencing the outcome.

The Neustadt Prize is the first international literary award of its scope to originate in the United States and is one of the very few international prizes for which poets, novelists and playwrights are equally eligible. Winners are awarded $50,000, a replica of an eagle feather cast in silver and a certificate. A generous endowment from the Neustadt family of Dallas, Denver and Boston ensures the award in perpetuity.