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Jeddah to Host Makkah Int’l Conference on Arabic Language, Literature Next Month

The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
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Jeddah to Host Makkah Int’l Conference on Arabic Language, Literature Next Month

The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat

The sixth annual Makkah International Conference on Arabic Language and Literature, themed "Arabic Language and the Challenges of Digitization," will take place January 3-5, 2025 at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Jeddah Al Salam.
Organized under the umbrella of the Saudi Conventions and Exhibitions General Authority (SCEGA), the event will bring together academics, researchers, and graduate students from 17 countries, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE, Oman, Jordan, Iraq, Yemen, Egypt, Sudan, Libya, Algeria, Chad, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the UK, and Italy.
The head of the conference organizing committee, Dr. Abdulrahman bin Mohammed Al-Zahrani, highlighted the conference's objectives, including fostering communication among Arabic language specialists, exchanging expertise, and showcasing the latest scientific research in Arabic studies and digital applications. The conference also aims to enhance cultural pride in Arabic, the language of the Holy Quran, while spotlighting efforts by individuals and institutions in advancing Arabic learning both physically and virtually.
The three-day conference will feature 10 scientific sessions with 40 peer-reviewed research papers, exploring various aspects of Arabic language and literature. Additionally, 10 scientific posters will showcase research projects, initiatives, and successful experiences. A special training workshop titled “AI Applications in the Arabic Language” will also be held, focusing on modern technological tools and their role in advancing Arabic education.
The conference serves as a platform to bridge traditional Arabic studies with modern digital innovations, reflecting the evolving landscape of Arabic language teaching and research.

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Murakami Tells Alma Mater He Was a ‘Terrible Student'

This picture taken on June 29, 2024 shows Japanese author Haruki Murakami posing during a photo call following a performance entitled the “Haruki Murakami produce Murakami JAM vol.3 – A hot and gentle fusion night”, at the Sumida Triphony Hall in Tokyo. (AFP)
This picture taken on June 29, 2024 shows Japanese author Haruki Murakami posing during a photo call following a performance entitled the “Haruki Murakami produce Murakami JAM vol.3 – A hot and gentle fusion night”, at the Sumida Triphony Hall in Tokyo. (AFP)
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Murakami Tells Alma Mater He Was a ‘Terrible Student'

This picture taken on June 29, 2024 shows Japanese author Haruki Murakami posing during a photo call following a performance entitled the “Haruki Murakami produce Murakami JAM vol.3 – A hot and gentle fusion night”, at the Sumida Triphony Hall in Tokyo. (AFP)
This picture taken on June 29, 2024 shows Japanese author Haruki Murakami posing during a photo call following a performance entitled the “Haruki Murakami produce Murakami JAM vol.3 – A hot and gentle fusion night”, at the Sumida Triphony Hall in Tokyo. (AFP)

Publicity-shy Japanese author Haruki Murakami told his alma mater Tuesday that he was far from being a model scholar, as he collected an honorary degree in a rare public appearance.

"It feels kind of strange being given the award, considering what a terrible student I was," said Murakami to laughter from the audience at Waseda University.

"I would skip classes and forget about studying. I was just doing whatever I wanted and causing loads of trouble to the university," the 75-year-old said.

The degree is therefore a "pretty generous gesture on Waseda's part," the novelist, dressed in academic regalia, told the rapturous audience of hundreds of admiring fans and Waseda students.

Awarding the honorary doctorate, Tokyo's prestigious Waseda University hailed the "cosmopolitan atmosphere" of Murakami's work and his ability "freewheelingly to zigzag between the real and the surreal".

The author of "Norwegian Wood" and "Kafka on the Shore" is known for his intricate tales of the absurdity and loneliness of modern life, which have been translated into about 50 languages.

Perennially tipped for a Nobel prize, Murakami is a reclusive figure and famously media-shy.

Readers of his works are drawn into the "Murakami world" where giant frogs challenge office workers in battle and mackerel rain down from the sky.

"The City and Its Uncertain Walls", his first full-length novel in six years, hit shelves in Japan last year, and copies of its English translation were released in November.

In his short, self-deprecating speech, Murakami said he had "gained absolutely nothing" from his previous six honorary doctorates -- all awarded by universities abroad -- calling them "useless".

"It's not like they come with pension money... And just because you have honorary doctorates doesn't mean your books sell," he quipped to another bout of laughter.

This is not to say, he added, that he is not grateful to his alma mater.

"Had I not enrolled in Waseda, I might have not pursued the career as a novelist at all," Murakami said, calling the award a milestone in his "life cycle".

Typical of his taciturn style, Murakami offered no clue as to what his next project will be, but he ended his speech on a bright note.

"I want to keep writing good novels," he said.