Closing of the ninth session of "International Festival of Arabic Language and Culture" In Milan

Milan, April 19 / WAM / The activities of the ninth session of the “International Festival of Arabic Language and Culture” were concluded in the Italian city of Milan, which comes as an extension of Sharjah’s presence in Italy and a continuation of the role of the “Sharjah Book Authority” and the “Arab Cultural Institute” in introducing the Arabic language and literature to the European academic and cultural community.

The festival’s activities were held over two days, sponsored by the Sharjah Book Authority and in cooperation with the Arab Cultural Institute and the Arabic Language Research Center at the Sacred Heart Catholic University in Milan, under the slogan “The Arab Fabric in the Structure of European Literature.” The festival presented a scientific and literary program that focused on the impact of Arabic on European literature and the paths of linguistic, narrative and poetic interaction between the cultures of the Mediterranean basin, with the participation of 24 academics, researchers, translators and writers from 13 Arab and European countries.

The opening ceremony witnessed keynote speeches delivered by His Excellency Ahmed bin Rakad Al Ameri, CEO of the Sharjah Book Authority, Maria Teresa Zanola, President of the European Council for Languages ​​and Terminology and Vice President of the University for Quality Education, Dr. Mohamed Safi Mosteghanemi, Secretary General of the Sharjah Arabic Language Academy, and Dr. Wael Farouk, Director of the Arab Cultural Institute at the Sacred Heart Catholic University in Milan and Director of the Festival.

His Excellency Ahmed bin Rakad Al Ameri stressed that the United Arab Emirates has developed a vision that considers culture an integral part in promoting dialogue between peoples and building deep relationships with nations and civilizations, and that His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, led an extensive Arab cultural project in which the book is presented as a gateway to communication between the cultures of the world.

He said that the Authority, under the leadership of Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Sharjah Book Authority, is completing these efforts and celebrating, with the Institute, in the ninth session of the Arabic Culture and Language Festival, the Arab culture that has contributed, over many centuries, to supplementing European literatures with multiple cognitive and aesthetic sources through translation, cultural interaction, and the presence of Arabic texts in European literary awareness, indicating that the relationship between Arab and European literature is not a parallel relationship, but rather a relationship of influence and exchange that has contributed to Forming important paths in the history of world literature.

In turn, Dr. Ahmed Safi Al Mosteghanemi stressed that choosing the logo for this session of the festival reflects an advanced awareness of the nature of the relationship between language and culture in the European context, pointing out that this approach coincides with the work of the Arabic Language Academy in Sharjah in building a research network that brings together Orientalists and Arabists from European countries through specialized conferences that highlight the actual extension of Arabic into European languages, whether through common words or through translation and Arabization paths, which provides scientific evidence of the depth of the Arab presence in these languages.

He added that the Arabic Language Academy in Sharjah continues to support these efforts by empowering researchers and enhancing communication between them in a way that consolidates the understanding of Arabic as a living knowledge bridge and enhances its presence in European academic and cultural circles on clear research and cumulative foundations.

For his part, Dr. Wael Farouk said that the ninth session of the festival stems from an awareness of the importance of rereading the presence of Arabic in European culture as an extended path of interaction and mutual influence. This year, it seeks to open a scientific and cultural space for the Arabic language’s contribution to shaping an aspect of European literary memory through literature, translation, storytelling, and poetry. It also highlights the ability of these linguistic and literary connections to open new horizons for cultural dialogue with a human dimension that transcends borders and languages.

The second day of the festival witnessed a scientific conference that included a series of research sessions that addressed the presence of Arabic in European languages ​​and literatures from multiple angles, with a general focus on diaspora literature, the contributions of Orientalists and Arabists to the study of Arabic and its transfer to European contexts, and their role in expanding areas of linguistic and literary research, and deepening cultural interaction between languages.

The festival included sessions entitled “Between Laws and Conscience: Judicial Literature in Arab and European Traditions” and “Arabic Words and Linguistic Communication in Europe,” in addition to two sessions that dealt with “The Impact of (One Thousand and One Nights) on Italian and German Literature.”

The festival also reviewed examples of Arabic narration from Andalusia to the present time and examined the transformations of Arab narration and its relationship to the formation of modernity, in addition to shedding light on poetic and literary dialogues between the cultures of the Mediterranean countries through approaches that revealed the depth of the mutual influence between Arabic poetry and modern European literature.

The activities concluded with a poetry and performance evening, which included a segment entitled “Women’s Poetic Voices from the Mediterranean,” in addition to a performance combining poetry, music, and performance.

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