UAE | Heritage and Culture
Turning the pages of world literature for Arab readers
A non-profit translation initiative to be launched in the capital soon aims at opening doors of knowledge for Arab readers, with the translation of classic and contemporary works of literature.
- By Rayeesa Absal, Staff Reporter
- Published: 23:39 November 9, 2007
- Image Credit: Illustration: Luis Vazquez/Gulf News
Abu Dhabi: A non-profit translation initiative to be launched in the capital soon aims at opening doors of knowledge for Arab readers, with the translation of classic and contemporary works of literature.
The project titled Kalima plans to bridge the gap between global works of literature and Arab readers by translating, publishing and distributing renowned works.
It is funded by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage. Kalima, means word in Arabic, plans to bring together publishers, translators, authors and distributors.
"The rest of the world enjoys a wealth of translated writing, why should the Arab world be any different?" asks Karim Nagy, chief executive of Kalima.
"In most Arabic countries, great works of world literature or academia are currently only available in their original language, making them inaccessible for most readers. For so many years Arabic readers have been cut off from great works of world literature - we think it's time to change that. It's time to fill the gaps in the Arabic library."
This year, the Kalima initiative aims at translating and publishing 100 titles, the names of which would be announced at the launch of the initiative on November 21.
"The title selection process has been carefully designed to strike a balance between different literary genres, juxtaposing the works of classic authors with more contemporary writers. The selection will also include academic, business and educational material. The translated titles will be made available throughout the Arab world through traditional and non-traditional book distribution channels," said Nagy.
"Kalima reflects a broader cultural renaissance emerging from the Arab region, including a revived interest in the Arabic language," said Nagy.
"Through Kalima we want to give Arabic readers the opportunity to read and enjoy a breadth of quality writing from around the world in their mother tongue. Arabic is a beautifully expressive language, and one that should be more widely celebrated and valued."
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