By NNN-KUNA,
Tunis : Tunisian Minister of Culture and Heritage Preservation Dr. Mohammed Aziz Ibn Ashur reiterated here the role of translation as a tool to further the advancement of Arab culture and to promote exchanges between different cultures and civilizations of the peoples of the world.
This came in the opening speech delivered by the Tunisian Minister before the standing office of the Arab Writers Union (AWU) with the participation of Kuwait.
Kuwait is represented by a delegation from the Writers League headed by board member Istabraq Ahmad and Fathia Hussein Al-Haddad.
Ibn Ashur said in the symposium entitled “The Status of Translation in the Arab Culture – Reality and Hypothecation” that the multiplicity of languages, cultures and civilizations required that translation be one of the key instruments to “openness of human thought and to cross from a culture-oriented approach onto a scientific one.
The Tunisian minister added that the Arab culture is built on openness to other cultures and civilizations and “away from being confined”, calling for making the translation “a tool that enables Arab intellectuals to be at the heart of epistemic reality” based on accurate information, in addition to keeping up daily with intellectual, cultural and scientific creations in the world.”
Prominent literary people from the Arab world as well as AWU Secretary General Mohammad Salmawi and Deputy Secretary General Saud Qabilat are partaking in the meeting.
The conferees are expected to mull several issues relating to Arab literature, publishing, and the AWU relations with relevant regional and international organizations.
On the sidelines of the meeting a symposium will be held to review the situation of challenges facing translation as well as the communication between the Arab literary people and the foreign cultures.