Olena Khomytska: Celebrating Egyptian Cuisine, Cultural Exchange, Translation Projects with the Arab World

See - Sada Elbalad

16-02-2025

Rana Atef
The Ukrainian translator and researcher Olena Khomytska stated to Sada El Balad that her favorite Egyptian dish is molokhia, and she absolutely loves ta'ameya (falafel).
She indicated that her favorite dish is molokhia and that she has a great affection for ta'ameya sandwiches. She described the Egyptian people as kind and mentioned that she has not visited Egypt since 2019 due to COVID-19.
During a seminar held at the offices of Sada El Balad, she noted several translation projects that have been completed with Arab countries. "In 2016, we translated a selection of poetry by the esteemed Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko, a symbol of Ukrainian culture, in collaboration with the National Council for Culture and Arts in Kuwait. He was a politician and poet regarded as one of the influential figures in the Ukrainian national movement of the 19th century.
Furthermore, there was a project in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia regarding an anthology of Ukrainian short stories from the late 19th to early 20th century, executed in collaboration with the Literary Club in Riyadh, which was published in 2021.
Additionally, there was personal cooperation with the UAE, resulting in the translation of a children's book as part of the Kalima translation project.
She added that the seminars at the Book Fair were wonderful and highly beneficial, as was the seminar at the Egyptian Writers' Union, where she met Egyptian poets and writers.
She emphasized that her visit to Cairo was extremely fruitful and that there will be continued communication to work on new projects. The Cairo International Book Fair was also good, along with her meetings with publishers.
She mentioned that the Egyptian Center for Language and Culture was established in 2008 in collaboration with the Egyptian Embassy in Kyiv and the Egyptian Ministry of Higher Education. It is part of the university's departments, aimed at promoting the Arabic language, culture, and arts, as well as supporting Ukrainian students studying Arabic by providing them with information and books, as there is a large library of Arabic publications within the center. Cultural activities are organized in cooperation with the Egyptian Embassy in Kyiv, including screenings of classic Egyptian films showcasing the works of Naguib Mahfouz. The center offers support to all who are interested in studying the Arabic language and culture.
This year, we have two groups of students, each consisting of 10 to 15 students, in addition to ten students pursuing their master's degrees, and we have agreements with Arab universities, including Cairo University.
Some graduates from the Arabic departments are working in the diplomatic corps and are contributing to mutual cooperation with Arab countries."