The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) concluded its celebration of World Arabic Language Day, which falls on December 22, 2024, with a range of activities and dialogue sessions spanning four days. The event drew a select group of intellectuals and writers, who discussed the reality, history and cultural impact of the Arabic language, with special focus on epistolary literature and Arabic proverbs as means of communication between cultures.

Launch of "Arabic Proverbs for the Millennial Generation"

Ithra Library hosted a distinguished dialogue session on Wednesday evening, moderated by engineer Fouad Al-Dharman, discussing the book "Arabic Proverbs for the Millennial Generation." Published by Ithra, the book contains 150 selected proverbs out of 1,000 commonly used Arabic proverbs, translated into English to make them easier to understand and share across different cultures.

Researcher Kate Dillon noted that the book is a unique reference for delving into Arabic proverbs, affirming its role in opening new horizons for understanding other cultures. Moajab Al-Shammari, co-founder of Tashkeel Publishing, added that the book took two years of preparation and careful translation to produce a work that reflects reality and conveys the cultural values of Arab societies.

Epistolary Literature and Its Literary Dimensions

A dialogue session was held Thursday evening, moderated by writer Ohoud Abdulkarim with the participation of poet and researcher Hamoud Al-Sahoud, addressing epistolary literature as one of the most flexible literary forms, one that readily adapts to the changes of time. Al-Sahoud affirmed that letters reflect the intellectual imprint of writers in a unique literary style.

Mohammed Al-Dhabaa, cultural advisor for writing and translation, also reviewed the literary aspects of written correspondence, noting the role of translation in shedding light on writers' personalities and ideas. He explained the fundamental difference between traditional written letters and contemporary electronic messages, considering the former to be a literary document of the past.

Diverse Cultural Events

Ithra closed its celebration with a range of cultural events, including:

  • "Mail Letters": a display recounting the evolution of letters through the ages.
  • "A Story with a Letter": an event combining literary tales with the content of letters.
  • "Letter by Letter": an activity boosting connection with the Arabic language.
  • A workshop titled "Aboard a Postcard": enabling participants to explore the art of handwriting in a creative style.

Supporting the Cultural Movement and Boosting Knowledge

These celebrations form part of Ithra's efforts to promote the Arabic language and cement its role in spreading culture and knowledge. The center aims to support the Kingdom's cultural movement through creative events and literary content that boosts national cultural identity.