The first „Sofia Translation Forum 2017. Enhancing literary translations between Arabic and the languages of the Balkans“ was held 3-4 June 2017, at the House of Europe and Sofia Literature and Translation House. Official speeches were delivered by Hatem Atallah, director of Anna Lindh Foundation, Ludmila Dimitrova, director of the State Institute for Culture by Minister of Foreign Affairs (Bulgaria) and Yana Genova, director of Next Page Foundation (Bulgaria).
The forum sought to map out common topics and directions in the literature of the Balkans and the Arab world and consequently create mechanisms for their presentation to the readers in the two regions. Despite viable Arabic studies schools in the Balkans, translations of contemporary literature have seen a major decline in the aftermath of democratic changes in some of the Balkan countries. In turn, the Arab world also lacks in mediators with the Balkan cultures. With this first forum Bulgaria has shown its potential to be an initiator of a process of exchange of ideas and literature.
The Forum participants drew up an overview of the translation and publishing landscapes on the Balkans and in some Arab-speaking countries, debated on common concerns in contemporary literature and on translation challenges, and presented instruments for promoting literature in translation.
Khaled Alkhamissi, writer and director of Cairo Library, the translators Hakan Özkan, Srpko Leštarić, Bayan Rayhanova, Hayri Hamdan, as well asprof. Alexander Kiossev, Sofia University, Manol Peykov, Janet 45 Publishers (Bulgaria) were among keynote speakers.
“Hopefully this event is one way to contribute to the process of changing attitudes and offsetting prejudices between the Balkans and the Arab world. In fact the reading public both here and there has almost zero access to translations of contemporary literature. The Forum in Sofia seeks to encourage mutual interest – first, among professionals in book publishing: publishers, translators, literary agents. We are aimed at establishing sustainable direct partnerships which in the future will result in translations of Balkan literature into Arabic that will be more visible for the reading public”, said Yana Genova, director of Next Page Foundation, the organizer of the Sofia Translation Forum 2017.
The Japanese television channel Fuji TV filmed episodes presenting Bulgaria to the Japanese society. The filming process was carried out in cooperation with the Bulgarian Embassy in Tokyo, the diplomatic mission announced. The initiative, which aims..
The 61 st Bologna Children's Book Fair opens on 8 April. The biggest international event for children’s literature will this year go on until 11 April, and Bulgaria will, for the first time, be presented with a designated 64 sq. m. stand of..
At a ceremony, the Aleko Konstantinov Satirical Theater in Sofia will present the Golden Kukerikon awards this evening for contribution to the development of the art of comedy and satire. With the awards in the categories "Young Hope", "Male role",..
Sofia joins the European Night of Museums for the 20th time. The initiative is organized by the French Institute in Bulgaria, the Ministry of Culture..
The exhibition "Mount Athos in drawings and photographs" will be opened on May 22 at the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome . The event, which..
+359 2 9336 661