The Saïd Foundation Alumni Achievement Prize for 2016 was presented to Syrian alumna Nadine Kaadan by Chairman, Wafic Said, at the Foundation’s annual dinner in April 2016. Nadine was supported by the Foundation in 2012/13 for an MA in Illustration at Kingston University. She is an author and illustrator of children’s books in Arabic who says her mission is to raise the level of children’s literature in the Arab world. Nadine’s books all have themes which reflect Syrian heritage and culture.

Since completing her Saïd Foundation sponsored studies, Nadine has combined writing and illustration work with travel to refugee camps and schools in Lebanon and Turkey where she conducts art and storytelling workshops for refugee children.  She ran activities for British children during the Nour Festival at the Victoria and Albert Museum based on her book “Ghadan”, the story of a Syrian child living through conflict, and was invited to speak at the London Book Fair about her book “Answer Me, Leila” which focuses on disability.

Nadine’s books are now being sold across the world and her first book in English, “The Jasmine Sneeze”, was released by Lantana Publishing in April 2016.