ABU DHABI, 9th October / WAM / The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Center and the Sheikh Zayed Book Award concluded a successful trip through Spain that lasted from September 27 to October 4, 2023, and included three Spanish cities: Granada, Cordoba, and Madrid, and included cooperation relations and high-level meetings with the European-Arab Foundation for Graduate Studies. , the University of Granada, and the Arab House.
The trip brought together an elite group of experts, speakers, and leading figures in Arabic literature studies, Islamic studies, and translation studies from the United Arab Emirates, Spain, and various parts of the world.
The Sheikh Zayed Book Award delegation included His Excellency Dr. Ali bin Tamim, President of the Abu Dhabi Center for the Arabic Language, Secretary General of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award; His Excellency Saeed Hamdan Al Tunaiji, Executive Director of the Abu Dhabi Center for the Arabic Language, and Dr. Mohsen Al Musawi, Member of the Scientific Committee of the Abu Dhabi Center for the Arabic Language, Professor of Classical and Modern Arabic Literature, and Comparative and Cultural Studies at Columbia University, New York.
Dr. Ali bin Tamim said: “The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Center and the Sheikh Zayed Book Award confirm their commitment to our mission of promoting Arabic literature throughout the world, stimulating understanding and partnership between different cultures, while enhancing the status of the Arabic language and its use in the cultural, scientific, literary and creative fields.”
Bin Tamim added: “Our tour in Spain represented a unique opportunity and platform to exchange knowledge and experience with our Spanish partners. We had the honor of cooperating closely with the Euro-Arab Foundation for Higher Studies, the University of Granada, and the Arab House – three influential institutions that share the same commitment to cultural exchange and partnership. “We cooperated with them to explore ways to bring our two cultures closer together. Given the prominent position that Spain occupies in the world of literature, our cooperation with our Spanish partners represents an important step towards promoting Arabic literature and culture throughout the world.”
One of the most prominent stations on the agenda was a symposium entitled “Arab and International Literature: What are the References for Arabic Literature,” which was held in partnership with the Euro-Arab Foundation for Postgraduate Studies at the University of Granada.
His Excellency Dr. Ali bin Tamim participated in the opening session alongside Margarita Sanchez Romero, Acting President of the University of Granada, and Dr. María Enmaculada Ramos-Tabia, Executive Secretary of the Euro-Arab Foundation for Graduate Studies.
The symposium included thought-provoking discussions on topics such as the reference of Arabic literature between old and new references, and the mutual cultural influences between Spanish and Arabic literature.
Dr. Maria Enmaculada Ramos-Tabia, Executive Secretary of the Euro-Arab Foundation for Graduate Studies, said: “I congratulate the Sheikh Zayed Book Award and the Euro-Arab Foundation for Graduate Studies at the University of Granada, which I have the honor of directing, for the great success achieved by this symposium at all levels. The interventions and papers presented were of high scientific value.” The lecturers presented new ideas about the references of Arabic literature, its development throughout history, and its interaction with European, Spanish, and Andalusian literatures.
As for the level of participation, the symposium was attended by an elite group of intellectuals, researchers, artists, journalists, students, and professors from various Spanish cities who moved to the city of Granada in Andalusia. They belong to universities, cultural centers, media institutions, publishing houses, and libraries. This is without forgetting the audience who followed the symposium remotely in Spanish and Arabic, and who come from different countries on four continents: Europe, Asia, America, and Africa. Therefore, organizing this type of scientific event contributes greatly to strengthening relations between the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Spain, and the entire Arab world: “
The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Center delegation also held extensive discussions with officials of the University of Granada, in the presence of its Dean, Dr. Pedro Mercado Pacheco. These talks discussed plans and opportunities to enhance cooperation with Spanish academic networks, especially academic and literary institutions, to initiate projects that help strengthen the scene of Arabic culture and literature in Spain.
The trip also included a meeting with the Arab House, a prestigious institution that plays a major role in strengthening Spanish-Arab relations, and constitutes a platform for dialogue and cooperation between various stakeholders and institutions, with the aim of strengthening the cooperation of the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Center and the Sheikh Zayed Book Award with the Arab House during the coming year.
During the meeting, which was attended by Irene Luzano Domingo, Director of the Arab House, the Abu Dhabi Center for the Arabic Language launched the translated version of the book “Alchemy in Andalusia” written by the Spanish Arabist Angel Alcala Mallabi, which was translated into Arabic by the translator Khadija Benaya under the umbrella of the “Kalima” translation project. The book sheds light on an important stage in which Andalusia turned into the most radiant beacon in various branches of science and arts, and during which Islam carried the torch after the Roman Empire.
The book is considered an important historical source on the history of alchemy in Andalusia, and the contributions of Muslim scholars to it, as well as other scholars from different cultures, which made Cordoba a metropolis of science. The book examines the role played by Andalusian alchemists in the scientific and radiological renaissance achieved by Andalusia, which reached its peak during the reign of Abd al-Rahman III, who established the Tree of Knowledge and established a culture of tolerance between the three monotheistic religions. This is in addition to their contributions to the transfer of Islamic civilization to Europe, through the translation movement witnessed by Arabic scientific works in the Latin Middle Ages.
It is worth noting that the Sheikh Zayed Book Award, organized by the Abu Dhabi Center for the Arabic Language, affiliated with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, honors distinguished writers, thinkers and publishers, as well as young talents whose writings and translations objectively enrich the intellectual, cultural, literary and social life in the Arab world.
2023-10-09 11:39:13
#Abu #Dhabi #Arabic #Language #Center #Sheikh #Zayed #Book #Award #conclude #visit #Spain
