Taif to Host Second Edition of Saudi Writers Forum

Taif to Host Second Edition of Saudi Writers Forum
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Taif to Host Second Edition of Saudi Writers Forum

Taif to Host Second Edition of Saudi Writers Forum

The Saudi Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission is preparing to launch the 2nd edition of the Saudi Writers Forum, opening doors for dialogue among intellects, authors, and poets willing to discuss the Saudi literary scene, and explore means and perspectives to develop it.

The Academy of Arabic Poetry is set to host the 2nd edition of the Writers Forum in Taif, to celebrate the city’s nomination as the Capital of Arab Poetry 2022. The event, scheduled on August 26-27, includes panels and symposiums that focus on literature genres, translation, publishing, and poetry, as well as renewing the connection with novelists and contributors in the field.

Atallah Al-Juaid, president of the Taif Literary and Cultural Club, said “the second edition of the forum was scheduled in Taif after its selection as a capital of Arabic poetry, a title given for the first time for an Arabic city.”

“Taif will be hosting the Saudi Writer Forum as a platform that brings together intellects and writers to study and discuss everything related to literature in Saudi Arabia.

“Since its debut in Asir, this forum has aimed at availing the expertise and ideas of intellects and writers, in addition to laying the ground for rich literary and cultural discussions among the participants,” Al-Juaid told Asharq Al-Awsat.

Al-Juaid believes that the success of these forums requires commitment to their conclusions and recommendations, as well as implementing their ideas, coping with challenges, and addressing the discussed problematic matters.

“In Saudi Arabia, we are living an accelerated, ongoing advancement in all fields, and culture is no less important than the other industries. It requires a rapid movement that outpaces bureaucracy affecting the cultural institutions, and keeps up with the aspirations of intellects and novelists when it comes to organizing literary and cultural events. Hopefully, the literature commission executives would consider the participants’ concerns, and take advantage of the forum to set an ambitious, advanced vision to address the challenges and inaugurate a new cultural phase,” he said.

Topics of Writers Forum

The scheduled panels held during the forum focus on several topics like exploring the role of the non-profit sector in cultural empowerment, the image of the other, society role, and the current state of Saudi poetry.

The second day of the forum also discusses diverse topics including the enrichment of critical movement, cinema novel, and the activity of the literary scene. The event will see the participation of 21 speakers in eight different panels.

The forum will also dedicate some sessions to showcase the completed and future works of the literature commission, best initiatives, as well as celebrating the selection of Taif as the first city of Arabic poetry this year.

Dr. Ahmed al-Hilali, literature professor at the Taif University, said the forum is an opportunity to gather intellects, exchange views on literature in Saudi Arabia, and highlight aspirations for the coming phase.

“Given their themes and focus on Saudi literature, the panels of the forum will enrich the gathering and give it an enhanced role in discussing topics related to the current state of poetry and other literary topics,” he stated.

“We hope to hear a clearer definition of the future of Saudi Arabia’s culture, and serious proposals about the topics enlisted on the forum’s schedule, to get a better understanding of the new direction of the cultural institutions like literary clubs and cultural associations branches, as well as the products and initiatives recently approved by the ministry,” he added.

The first edition of the Saudi Writers Forum took place on August 2021, in the Asir region. It hosted panels that discussed different subjects, and the challenges and aspirations of Saudi novelists in the sectors of literature, publishing, and culture.



Syria Seeks EU Help to Battle Massive Wildfires

FILE : A fire burns at a forest in Latakia province, Syria in this handout released by SANA on October 9, 2020. SANA/Handout via REUTERS
FILE : A fire burns at a forest in Latakia province, Syria in this handout released by SANA on October 9, 2020. SANA/Handout via REUTERS
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Syria Seeks EU Help to Battle Massive Wildfires

FILE : A fire burns at a forest in Latakia province, Syria in this handout released by SANA on October 9, 2020. SANA/Handout via REUTERS
FILE : A fire burns at a forest in Latakia province, Syria in this handout released by SANA on October 9, 2020. SANA/Handout via REUTERS

Syria’s minister of emergencies and disaster management on Tuesday requested support from the European Union to battle wildfires that have swept through a vast stretch of forested land.

The fires have been burning for six days, with Syrian emergency crews struggling to bring them under control amid strong winds and severe drought.

Neighboring countries Jordan, Lebanon and Türkiye have already dispatched firefighting teams to assist in the response.

“We asked the European Union for help in extinguishing the fires,” minister Raed al-Saleh said on X, adding Cyprus was expected to send aid on Tuesday, AFP reported.

“Fear of the fires spreading due to strong winds last night prompted us to evacuate 25 families to ensure their safety without any human casualties,” he added.

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) office in Syria, the fires impacted “some 5,000 persons, including displacements, across 60 communities.”

An estimated 100 square kilometers (40 square miles) of forest and farmland -- more than three percent of Syria’s forest cover -- have burned, OCHA told AFP.

At least seven towns in Latakia province have been evacuated as a precaution.

Efforts to extinguish the fires have been hindered by “rugged terrain, the absence of firebreaks, strong winds, and the presence of mines and unexploded ordnance”, Saleh said.

With man-made climate change increasing the likelihood and intensity of droughts and wildfires worldwide, Syria has also been battered by heatwaves and low rainfall.

In June, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization said Syria had “not seen such bad climate conditions in 60 years.”