Patrick Süskind's 'The Pigeon' Now Available in Arabic

Patrick Süskind's 'The Pigeon' Now Available in Arabic
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Patrick Süskind's 'The Pigeon' Now Available in Arabic

Patrick Süskind's 'The Pigeon' Now Available in Arabic

Iraq's Dar Al Mada publishing house has released an Arabic translation of Patrick Süskind’s “The Pigeon.” The novel is translated by Kamiran Hoj, and the book’s introduction is written by Ali Badr.

“The protagonist in Süskind’s novel reflects an existential feeling of impotence: the inability to live, inability to love, and even inability to reject. But did he manage to find comfort in his secure island in this insecure world? Whatever we think of this protagonist, he always hated those events that disturb his inner stability, and the order of his life. However, the levels of uncertainty and fear are not the same; they don’t come from home, or from the small things, but from this irrational world,” writes Badr in the introduction.

This novel symbolizes chosen and forced isolation. A novel that exposes our impotent life, and explains how we, human beings, simply collapse under the pressure of the silly, and not necessarily, huge matters.

It’s a very realistic novel despite its imaginary end that eliminates the sad and cruel edge of this work. “Also, me, I increasingly spend most of my days in small rooms and face a growing challenge to leave them. However, I wish I can find a small room one day, a very small one that surrounds me tightly so I can take it with me when I leave,” said Süskind about his novel.

Süskind, writer of the world-known novel “Perfume,” is a mysterious personality, as “no one knows where he lives, what rituals he practices, his goals, his stances in critical causes, his thoughts about his peers, relationships, or his family,” reads Badr’s introduction.

The only available photograph of him features a skinny bald man with handsome features and dark eyes. He only appeared in four interviews and refused to partake in TV programs or festivals. He also rejected awards including the best literary work award (France, 1987), the Toucan Prize (1987), and the FAZ-Literaturpreis (1987). He never attended the premieres of the movies he wrote and never signed a book.



Kingdom’s Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka Draws Over One Million Visitors

The Kingdom’s involvement in Expo 2025 also serves as a prelude to Expo 2030 Riyadh, reflecting Saudi Arabia’s aspiration to become a global destination. - SPA
The Kingdom’s involvement in Expo 2025 also serves as a prelude to Expo 2030 Riyadh, reflecting Saudi Arabia’s aspiration to become a global destination. - SPA
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Kingdom’s Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka Draws Over One Million Visitors

The Kingdom’s involvement in Expo 2025 also serves as a prelude to Expo 2030 Riyadh, reflecting Saudi Arabia’s aspiration to become a global destination. - SPA
The Kingdom’s involvement in Expo 2025 also serves as a prelude to Expo 2030 Riyadh, reflecting Saudi Arabia’s aspiration to become a global destination. - SPA

Saudi Arabia’s pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka has attracted more than one million visitors, reaching this milestone just over two months after its official opening on April 13. Since then, the pavilion has hosted more than 1,137 events across the Expo site, according to SPA.

Saudi Ambassador to Japan and Commissioner General of the Kingdom’s Pavilion Dr. Ghazi Faisal Binzagr described the achievement as a testament to the Kingdom’s transformative journey under Vision 2030 while also promoting cultural exchange and sharing its rich heritage with the world.

Dr. Binzagr stated that the Kingdom’s participation in Expo 2025 Osaka underscores the strong and enduring ties between Saudi Arabia and Japan, especially as the two countries mark the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations. He noted that the pavilion aims to inspire visitors by illustrating the Kingdom’s advancements and ambitions on the global stage.

The Kingdom’s involvement in Expo 2025 also serves as a prelude to Expo 2030 Riyadh, reflecting Saudi Arabia’s aspiration to become a global destination.

As the second-largest pavilion at the event, after host nation Japan, the Kingdom’s structure is built using lightweight Saudi stone and features a unique design that offers a spatial journey through cities across the Kingdom.