عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Culture

Saudi Translation Movement Witnesses Surge in Publications

Translation has become an urgent necessity to keep pace with civilizational progress and exchange of knowledge (SPA)
Translation has become an urgent necessity to keep pace with civilizational progress and exchange of knowledge (SPA)
TT
TT

Saudi Translation Movement Witnesses Surge in Publications

Translation has become an urgent necessity to keep pace with civilizational progress and exchange of knowledge (SPA)
Translation has become an urgent necessity to keep pace with civilizational progress and exchange of knowledge (SPA)

A Saudi initiative has translated ancient Arabic poems into Italian, making them accessible to a wider audience in an effort to showcase Arab literary heritage and culture on a global scale.

The translated book of odes presents the first complete Italian edition of these poems.

Supported by the “Tarjim” initiative by the Saudi Authority for Literature, Publishing, and Translation, this move highlights the Kingdom’s vibrant cultural scene since the launch of the National Culture Strategy in 2021.

The latest cultural report from Saudi Arabia’s Culture Ministry highlighted the success of the Tarjim initiative. This initiative aims to boost Saudi publishing and translation efforts.

In 2022, it translated 524 works into 12 languages, with English leading at 75.37%, followed by French at 10.26%.

The initiative translated 341 books from 26 publishers across 20 subjects, with male translators making up about 72% of the translations. The remaining 28% was done by female translators.

Novels ranked third in translated works at around 15%, after educational children’s books and philosophy.

In 2023, the initiative saw even more success, translating over a thousand editions between Arabic and other languages, involving about 22 global languages and engaging over 500 international translators.

Most Viewed

 
 
Culture

Van Gogh Painting Falls Short of Expectations in Hong Kong Auction

A visitor looks closely at 'Les canots amarres' by Vincent van Gogh at Christie's new Asia Pacific headquarters in Hong Kong. Peter PARKS / AFP
A visitor looks closely at 'Les canots amarres' by Vincent van Gogh at Christie's new Asia Pacific headquarters in Hong Kong. Peter PARKS / AFP
TT
TT

Van Gogh Painting Falls Short of Expectations in Hong Kong Auction

A visitor looks closely at 'Les canots amarres' by Vincent van Gogh at Christie's new Asia Pacific headquarters in Hong Kong. Peter PARKS / AFP
A visitor looks closely at 'Les canots amarres' by Vincent van Gogh at Christie's new Asia Pacific headquarters in Hong Kong. Peter PARKS / AFP

A Vincent van Gogh painting displaying the artist's shift from dark realism to vibrant impressionism sold for US$32.2 million at a Hong Kong auction on Thursday, falling short of expectations that it would fetch a record-breaking price.
"Les canots amarres" -- or "the moored boats" -- was the centerpiece of an inaugural evening sale held to celebrate the opening of auction house Christie's new Asia Pacific headquarters.
According to Christie's, it was expected to fetch HK$230-380 million (US$30-50 million) on the auction floor, AFP reported.
If bidding had reached the higher end of the estimated value, it could have surpassed Jean-Michel Basquiat's "Warrior" -- which went for HK$323.6 million in 2021 -- as the most expensive Western painting sold in Asia.

But the hammer of auctioneer Adrien Meyer fell Thursday at HK$250 million.
Cristian Albu, deputy chairman and head of 20th/21st century art at Christie's Asia Pacific, said the price was the "record of a Van Gogh in Asia.”
The auction house was "cautious" with its lineup on Thursday in hopes of boosting market confidence, added Ada Tsui, head of evening sale and specialist for 20th/21st century art.
Owned by the Italian royal family of Bourbon Two Sicilies, the Van Gogh painting is "the most important painting by the artist ever to be offered in Asia,” Christie's said in its introduction.
"'Les canots amarres' marks a vital stepping stone in his career," it said.
The painting is one of about 40 works Van Gogh developed around the scenic French town of Asnieres, a boating hub on the outskirts of Paris, during the summer of 1887.