2 Writers Win Yousef Bakkar Award for Oriental Studies

A general view of the skyline as seen from Jordan's first "Air Taxi", in Amman, Jordan, January 4, 2019. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed
A general view of the skyline as seen from Jordan's first "Air Taxi", in Amman, Jordan, January 4, 2019. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed
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2 Writers Win Yousef Bakkar Award for Oriental Studies

A general view of the skyline as seen from Jordan's first "Air Taxi", in Amman, Jordan, January 4, 2019. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed
A general view of the skyline as seen from Jordan's first "Air Taxi", in Amman, Jordan, January 4, 2019. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed

Two writers from Jordan and Iran have won the "Yousef Bakkar Award for Oriental Studies," which is organized by the Jordanian Writers Association, with the support of Dr. Youssef Bakkar, Petra News Agency reported.

The $3,000 award was announced Saturday by the General Secretariat of the "Yousef Bakkar Prize for Oriental Studies.”

According to an Association statement, the award was jointly won by: Dr. Abbas Abdel Halim Abbas, from Jordan, for his book "Abdul Wahhab Azzam, A Civilizational Project, a Study of His Literary Efforts and Comparative Eastern Cultures", and Dr. Yadallah Malayri, from Iran, for his book "The Neighbors in the Eastern Mediterranean, the political novel between Persian and Arabic, Ahmed Mahmoud and Abd al-Rahman Munif as a model.”

The "Yousef Bakkar Award for Oriental Studies,” the first of its kind on the Arab and Islamic levels, constitutes a quantum leap in supporting and encouraging specialists in oriental studies, and aims to contribute positively in serving Islamic civilization by reviving literary and cultural relations between oriental languages, especially Arabic, Persian and Turkish, Petra said.

The President of the Jordanian Writers Association, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Award and its Secretary General, lawyer and poet Akram Al-Zoubi, said that the association will soon hold a special ceremony to honor the award winners, expressing appreciation for the support of the Award’s Board of Trustees and its arbitrators.



'Riyadh Reads French' Initiative Brings French Culture to Riyadh International Book Fair

The Riyadh International Book Fair 2024 logo
The Riyadh International Book Fair 2024 logo
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'Riyadh Reads French' Initiative Brings French Culture to Riyadh International Book Fair

The Riyadh International Book Fair 2024 logo
The Riyadh International Book Fair 2024 logo

The Riyadh International Book Fair 2024 featured the return of the "Riyadh Reads French" initiative, which was introduced the previous year and gathered numerous French publishers specializing in various fields.

The initiative garnered significant attention and attracted a large number of visitors to the fair.

The French Embassy’s communication officer in Saudi Arabia, Alsaeed Ezz, elaborated that this year's edition aimed to enhance the experience and expand activities, with a particular focus on children. The initiative included over 25,000 books in its pavilions, with 118 French publishing houses participating. Additionally, the Alliance Francaise in Riyadh offered free French language courses to fair visitors, aiming to bring the French language and culture closer to Saudis and all fair attendees.

Ezz highlighted that the Alliance Francaise had dedicated a fully integrated section for children to cater to their needs and knowledge aspirations, with specialized supervisors offering activities such as drawing, reading, and expression to familiarize the younger generation with the French culture.

The initiative also involved Campus France, a national office facilitating registration procedures for studying in French universities and educational institutions. Campus France collaborated with relevant Saudi authorities to introduce available scholarship programs for studying in both English and French, as well as the requirements for obtaining bachelor's and master's degrees and conducting research in various fields.

This year's Riyadh International Book Fair saw a participation from over 2,000 publishing houses and agencies from the Kingdom, the region, and around the world, occupying 800 pavilions representing over 30 countries.