BA Hosts Mediterranean Writers
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The BA hosted on 10 and 11 April 2010 a Roundtable entitled “Ecrire la Méditerranée”, organized by the Mediterranean Prize (le Prix Méditerranée) and the Mediterranean Center for Literature (le Centre Méditerranéen de Littérature -CML). The Roundtable was held under the auspices of HE Mrs. Suzanne Mubarak, Chair of the BA Board of Trustees (BOT), on the occasion of the 500,000 book donation from the French National Library (BNF) to the BA.
The cosmopolitan city of Alexandria, the cultural capital of the Ancient World and home to the Ancient and New Library of Alexandria, was chosen to host such an event. Twelve writers from the 2 shores of the Mediterranean were invited to write a short text about the Mediterranean cultural identity.
Over 2 days, they exchanged their testimonies, expressed their nostalgia, discussed their Mediterranean identity and its effect on their writings, and the role of literature in the well being of the Mediterranean peoples.
The sessions of the first day were opened by Ambassador Aly Maher, BA Special Advisor, who gave a short speech commending the BNF initiative, which reflects the strong Egyptian- French bonds. He stated that this gathering reflects the hope of the peoples of the Mediterranean to promote cultural exchange, diversity, and dialogue.
The first session featured talks by Robert Solé, established Egyptian/ French Writer and Columnist in Le Monde; Nedim Gurcel, the Turkish Writer who received several international literary awards, Research Director at the French National Center for Scientific Research and Professor of Eastern Languages; Khaled El-Khamissi , Egyptian Writer, Journalist, Director and Producer, and Author of the bestseller Taxi; Vénus Khoury Ghata, Lebanese Poet and Novelist; Leila Marounane, Algerian Writer based in France; and Takis Theodoropoulos, Head of the Greek National Writers’ Center.
The next day witnessed participations from Kebir Ammi, author of several novels about people who were expelled from home; Paula Jacques, French/ Egyptian Writer, Journalist and Producer from a Jewish family who left Egypt in 1957; Waciny Laredji, Writer and Literary Critic from Algeria and recipient of several awards; Alexandre Najjar, a Lebanese Writer who devoted his career to defend values of justice, and promote richness and diversity between Lebanon and France; Cherif El-Choubachi, Egyptian Writer, Journalist, Former Presenter of French News in the Egyptian Television, Former Deputy of Egyptian Minister of Culture, and Former Chair of the Cairo International Film Festival; and finally Antonio Tabucchi, the Italian Expert in Portuguese Literature.