ABU DHABI, 11 October / WAM / The Sheikh Zayed Book Award participates in the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Center of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, at the Frankfurt International Book Fair 2022, which will be held this year with the title “Words Connect Worlds” from 19 to 23 October During events that see leading writers and thinkers as protagonists to shed light on the most important themes of literature and the cultural movement in the Arab region.
The participation of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award at this year’s Frankfurt International Book Fair takes place under the auspices of the Abu Dhabi Center for the Arabic Language and in collaboration with the leading American magazine “Publishing Perspectives” – which deals with book industry in the world – and the cultural institution “Littprom”, which is one of the most important German literary institutions and includes the elite of writers, thinkers and writers.
The participation of the award this year includes a reception and two seminars, through which the award intends to shed light on some issues, the most important of which are the growth prospects of the book trade in the Arab world and the journey of Arab literature from cafes. to electronic platforms. The discussions also address the opportunities and challenges international publishers face in the Arab market, as well as developments in the world of Arab literature today.
His Excellency Dr. Ali bin Tamim, Secretary General of the Award and President of the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Center said: “The Sheikh Zayed Book Award and the Abu Dhabi Language Center are committed to continuously participate in the Frankfurt Book Fair, which provides a prominent platform to be on the map of the global literary and cultural movement and to improve our communication with decision makers.In the fields of publishing and culture, learn about and exchange experiences on the latest developments and technologies in the sector with the community world Our participation this year reflects the depth of our deep-rooted cultural relationships with Germany, with which we have extended partnerships represented by a number of prominent projects, and Germany was a distinguished guest at the International Book Fair. of Abu Dhabi. the Abu Dhabi Center for the Arabic Language, for two consecutive years.
His Excellency added: “The Sheikh Zayed Book Award serves as a bridge for communication and cultural exchange, as well as playing an important role in the exchange of experiences between Germany and our region. The award honors the people and organizations who have played a pivotal role in strengthening these cultural ties, confirming the role and importance of literature Arabic for German and international readers and book trade markets.
Through a round table entitled “Perspectives for the growth of the book trade in the Arab world” – to be held on October 19, with the patronage of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award and in collaboration with the conference of the magazine “Publishing Perspectives” at the Convention Al center, the potential, challenges and business environment that the Arab world presents to publishers will be highlighted.
The round table will be attended by Sherif Bakr, editor of Al-Araby for Publishing and Distribution in Egypt, and Sherine Kreidieh, editor of Dar Asala in Lebanon. The panel discussion will be moderated by Hannah Johnson of Publishing Perspectives.
The award and the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Center will host a reception on October 20 at the center pavilion during the exhibition, in the presence of publishers, stakeholders, translators, media representatives and partners from both sides.
The event offers attendees the opportunity to learn more about the Sheikh Zayed Book Award, as well as a year-round dedicated translation scholarship to international publishers to translate winning and selected literary works and literature into other languages for childhood. Attendees can also meet representatives from the Sheikh Zayed Book Award and the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Center to discuss the various Arabic literary initiatives overseen by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Center.
On 21 October the award will organize a second round table entitled “The Journey of Arabic Literature from Cafés to Online Platforms” at Studio Frankfurt, which will see the discussion of the book “Café Feathers: Eye on Egypt” in the presence of the author of the book, the winner of the Sheikh Zayed Prize for Literature 2022, Maysoon Saqr, Egyptian essayist and translator Samir Gerais, who wrote the first book in Arabic on the work of writer Günter Grass.
The round table will also be attended by the German researcher Sonia Hegasi, Deputy Director of the Office of the Research Institute “Leibniz-Zentrum Moderner Orient” (ZMO) in Berlin, and moderated by the Arabic, German translator and journalist Stefan Weidner. The discussion session deals with the culture of cafes in Cairo, in particular the famous Riche Café, a witness to the cultural movement in Cairo for over a century. The episode will also deal with the challenges that Arab literature faces and the changes taking place in our time, including: the cultural transformation from the previous cultural centers of Cairo, Damascus and Beirut to the Arab states of the Gulf, and a confrontation between the role social media and the role of traditional cultural cafes.
During its participation in the exhibition, the Sheikh Zayed Book Award is reviewing recently translated books through the “Translation Grant”. Since its launch in 2018, the initiative has seen more than 20 books translated into multiple languages, including English, German, French, Italian, Greek, Georgian and Ukrainian.
The Translation Fellowship aims to help increase the number of Arabic books translated, published and distributed outside the Arabic region. The initiative supports the translation of literary books and children’s books that have won the Sheikh Zayed Book Award or those that have qualified for the short list.
