From left to right: Jonathan Taylor, Chair of the Board of Trustees; Khaled Hroub, academic and emcee; judges Dr. Hoda Elsadda, Georges Tarabichi (Chair), Maudie Bitar, Dr. Gonzalo Fernandez Parilla, and Dr. Huda al-Naimi; prize administrator Fleur Montanaro
Dr. Huda al-Naimi, Qatari writer and academic (and 2012 IPAF judge)Judges: Lebanese journalist and literary critic Maudie Bitar and Spanish academic, translator, and researcher Dr. Gonzalo Fernandez ParillaJudges' chair, the Syrian writer and critic Georges TarabichiKhaled Hroub and 2012 judge Dr. Hoda Elsadda, Egyptian academic and women's rights activistDr. Youssef Ziedan addresses the committee, not pleased that his book, "The Nabataen," has not made the shortlist.Coffee after the press conference: Novelists Ibrahim Abdel Meguid, Mohamed Salah Al-Azab, and Mekkawi Said, former Minister of Culture Emad Abou Ghazi, and a number of others were in attendance.Fatima al-Boudi of Dar Al Ain has a celebratory smoke, pleased that her publishing house's "Embrace at the Brooklyn Bridge" has made the shortlist.