Greece in "Sharjah International Book Fair".. Anticipated cultural partnerships and new creative bridges with the Arab world

Sharjah, 11 November / WAM / Dr. Sisi Papathanasiou, Chair of the Arts Committee at the Greek Ministry of Culture, expressed her great admiration for the pioneering cultural movement witnessed by the Emirate of Sharjah at the Arab and international levels, praising the efforts of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, in making the emirate a global destination for culture and knowledge.

She also praised the role of Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of the Sharjah Book Authority, in consolidating Sharjah’s position as a pivotal center for cultural communication between the East and the West. She said: Wherever the name of Sharjah is mentioned, talk about culture and creativity is mentioned with it. This is a rare thing in the world and is the fruit of the vision of its wise leadership.

Papathanasiou praised the distinguished organization of the Sharjah International Book Fair and its qualitative programmes, and described the International Publishers Conference as “one of the strongest conferences she has witnessed in her professional career,” noting her great admiration for the educational programs directed at children and young people and the wide demand among young people for reading and learning, saying that this is the true way to plant the seed of knowledge in future generations and build a generation that is cognitively and scientifically aware.

Dr. Papathanasiou spoke about the Greece Pavilion at the exhibition, which this year came with an artistic design that carries deep symbolic connotations, as it took the form of an ancient Athenian ship that embodies the idea of ​​transmitting the spark of Greek thought to the world.

She said: The ship is the bridge that connects us to other cultures, specifically to the Arab world and the UAE. The design of the pavilion embodies the movement of culture and knowledge through symbolic oars representing two rudders, one of which carries books and Greek literary creations, the other translations between the Arabic and Greek languages, and in the middle there is a round table for dialogue and direct communication between visitors and creators, which reflects the essence of participation based on cultural interaction and civilizational openness.

She pointed out that the Greece Pavilion includes a mini-exhibition documenting the journey of Greek literature after the classical era, where the visitor can trace the development of literature from the Byzantine era to the present day through the works of the icons of Greek literature, including the two poets who won the Nobel Prize for Literature, Georgios Seferis (1963) and Odysseus Ilyitis (1979), in addition to displaying examples of ancient manuscripts and artifacts related to literature and writing in an experience that blends history, thought, and modern creativity.

At the front of the pavilion, the olive tree stands in the middle of the scene as an eternal symbol of Greek civilization. It was chosen to embody the concept of giving, diversity and production, noting that the olive tree represents the essence of Greece, as it is the roots that give multiple fruits, just as culture gives its fruits to humanity.

Regarding the strategic objectives of the participation, she stressed that the presence of Greece as a guest of honor this year comes to provide a comprehensive picture of modern Greece, its literature and contemporary thought, explaining that the participation extends to building real cultural partnerships with Arab institutions.

She said: The Arab world knows a lot about ancient Greece, and we are here today to present to it modern Greece in all its intellectual and artistic dimensions and to establish an ongoing dialogue with Arab publishers and authors in various fields of literature and culture.

She pointed out that the participating Greek delegation includes more than 70 personalities, including writers, academics, artists, translators and publishers, who come together under one umbrella to enhance cultural communication between the two countries, adding that this participation is not a new beginning, but rather an extension of a long process of cooperation, and today we are working to translate this presence into institutional partnerships that will create a qualitative shift in literary and artistic relations between Greece and the Arab world.

She stressed that Greece’s participation in the Sharjah International Book Fair comes under the slogan “Greek Literature… The Long Journey” and includes a diverse program of literary sessions, musical performances, children’s workshops, and culinary and arts events, all of which aim to highlight the meeting of tradition and modernity in the Greek cultural experience and to confirm that culture is the most beautiful compound that brings peoples towards a deeper understanding of each other.

Among these events is a session entitled “Contemporary Greek Monodrama,” which celebrates the translation of Greek poetry collections into the Arabic language for the first time and showcases works inspired by ancient Greek mythology and its ancient theatrical history. And the session “Contemporary Greek Poetry: Echoes in Arabic,” which highlights selections of modern poems within a new poetic anthology that brings together Arab and Greek poets, during which poetry readings are presented in both languages.

In the theatre, the exhibition will witness a special performance entitled “Philocetes,” a performance inspired by the Greek myth that deals with the concept of isolation and human loyalty. The pavilion will also witness a series of daily musical performances under the title “Cultural and Artistic Program – Traveling Theater,” combining poetry and music through works inspired by the poems of major Greek poets.

In the arts and education aspect, the Greek Pavilion allocated space for a number of interactive children’s workshops under the title “Life and Writing.” Greek artists and painters also participate in a workshop entitled “Children and Education from Ancient Greece to Today,” which highlights the development of educational and artistic thought in Greece throughout the ages in a simplified manner suitable for school students and adolescents.

The cultural scene is complemented by a special program on Greek cuisine through a series of interactive cooking sessions that highlight the relationship between taste and cultural heritage, offering visitors an experience that combines the senses and knowledge, as traditional cuisine, its historical origins, and its connection to Mediterranean and Arab culture are reviewed.

These activities culminate in a package of artistic workshops and discussion panels that celebrate cultural dialogue and confirm that Greece’s participation as a guest of honor in this session is not just a celebration of ancient civilization, but rather an embodiment of the spirit of continuous human creativity that connects the two shores of the Mediterranean through literature, art and music.

• For more: Follow Khaleejion 24 Arabic, Khaleejion 24 English, Khaleejion 24 Live, and for social media follow us on Facebook and Related