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Al-Ahram Weekly
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Winners announced for third Mexican literature translation contest in Egypt - City Lights - Life & Style
Aiming to deepen cultural ties and boost Spanish-language learning in Egypt, the Mexican embassy and Egypt's National Centre for Translation honoured winners of the third Mexican Literature Translation Contest in Cairo. The Embassy of Mexico in Egypt, in cooperation with the National Centre for Translation at the Egyptian Ministry of Culture, held the award ceremony for the third Mexican Literature Translation Contest into Arabic on 12 August. This annual initiative seeks to support local talent among translators and interpreters, showcase Mexican literature and the Spanish language, and foster cultural ties between the two nations. The ceremony was presided over by Leonora Rueda, Ambassador of Mexico, and Professor Karma Samy, Director of the National Centre for Translation. Leonora Rueda, Ambassador of Mexico, delivers a speech at the award ceremony in the National Centre for Translation. The selected work for translation was Canek, a celebrated novel by Emilio Abreu Gómez and a landmark of Mexican literature. The book recounts the life and rebellion of the Mayan leader Jacinto Canek, blending poetic prose with historical narrative. The first prize, valued at USD 1,000, was awarded to Mohamed Gomaa Tawfik Fadel, a translator and researcher specialising in Spanish and Latin American studies. The contest, launched in January 2024 during the Cairo International Book Fair, attracted 16 finalist translations. The winning work will be published and presented at the Cairo International Book Fair in 2026. # The jury comprised Professors Nadia Gamal El-Din (Faculty of Al-Alsun, Ain Shams University), Khaled Mohamed Abdel-Moneim (Faculty of Languages and Translation, Al-Azhar University), and Khaled Ibrahim Awad Salem (Higher Institute for Translation, Academy of Arts). Special recognition was given to three other top entries: the first honourable mention went to Noha El-Hag Hassan Abdo; the second to Mohamed Ahmed Mohamed; and the third to Roqaya Mohamed El-Tohami. Abdel-Rahman Essam Abdel-Gawad was named a promising young translator. Ambassador Rueda noted: 'The competition, which began in 2021, has now been institutionalised and has become an important platform for honouring the work of Spanish-language learners and Egyptian translators. I am very glad that the interest of Egyptian youth in learning Spanish, as one of the most widely spoken languages worldwide, and in translating Mexican literature, is on the rise.' The generous support of CEMEX Egypt made it possible to offer the main prize, reflecting the company's ongoing commitment to social responsibility and promoting young Egyptian talent and cultural exchange. This event not only celebrates the art of literary translation but also reaffirms the value of building cultural bridges through literature, fostering mutual understanding and appreciation between Mexico and Egypt. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Al-Ahram Weekly
11-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Egypt celebrates Mexican literature through translation competition 3rd edition - City Lights - Life & Style
The Mexican embassy in Egypt has unveiled the third edition of its translation competition into Arabic in collaboration with the Egyptian National Centre for Translation under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture. The competition, which targets Spanish language learners and Egyptian translators, offers a grand prize of $1,000 for the first-place winner. The winning translation will be published and presented at the 2026 Cairo International Book Fair. In addition, the top three other translations will receive special recognition. ## The book Kanek by Mexican author Ermilo Abreu Gómez, published under Mexico's Economic Culture Fund, is available for translation as part of this year's competition. Mexican Ambassador to Egypt Leonora Rueda Gutiérrez emphasized that the competition, which began in 2021, has now been institutionalized and has become an important platform for honouring the work of Spanish language learners and Egyptian translators. Kanek is a significant historical novel in Mexican literature. It revolves around Jacinto Canek, a hero from the indigenous Mayan population, who led a rebellion in the 18th century against Spanish landowners. The story unfolds in the Yucatán Peninsula, home to the Mayans and their descendants. The collaboration between the Mexican embassy and the National Centre for Translation has created an opportunity to enhance the translation of Mexican heritage into Arabic, fostering greater cultural exchange and strengthening ties between both nations and their cultures. Registration for the competition is from 1 to 15 March 2025 via the National Centre for Translation's website — — and the submission deadline is 29 May 2025. The competition announcement and its terms are now available on the Mexican embassy's website at Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Daily News Egypt
20-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily News Egypt
'Our Uncle Salah Jahin': National Centre for Translation Tribute to Egyptian Cultural Icon
The National Centre for Translation, directed by Karma Sami, hosted a celebration on Wednesday honouring the multifaceted artist Salah Jahin, titled 'Our Uncle… Salah Jahin'. Held in the Taha Hussein Hall at the centre's headquarters in Cairo's Opera House Square, the event was attended by Jahin's daughter, Amina Jahin, musician Mounir El Wasimi, poet Amin Haddad, and numerous translators and intellectuals. The evening commenced with El Wasimi elucidating his musical arrangement of Jahin's quatrains, originally composed by Sayed Mekawi and performed by Ali El Haggar. A seminar followed, moderated by Moustafa Riyad, featuring discussions led by Lubna Abdel Tawab, Amal El Hadary, and researcher Amira El Samny. A group of aspiring translators also presented their renditions of Jahin's poems in various languages, including English, Spanish, German, and Persian. Among them were students from the English Department at Suez Canal University's Faculty of Arts, supervised by Walid Abdallah. This served as a poignant tribute to Jahin's pioneering poetry and its profound influence during a pivotal period in Egyptian history. Karma Sami Sami underscored the significance of honouring Jahin and preserving his legacy. 'Jahin is a man who showered the Arab world with love and culture,' she stated. Sami recounted her own profound admiration for Jahin's work, recalling the awe she experienced upon seeing the play Sahsah Lama Yengah – a collaborative masterpiece by Jahin (writer), Mohamed Fawzi (composer), and Salah El Sakka (director), originally produced in 1963 as part of the Cairo Puppet Theatre's repertoire. She also shared a personal anecdote about beginning her days with Jahin's cartoons and the deep impact his passing had on her. She noted the massive attendance at his funeral, a testament to his enduring influence. Sami emphasised the continuing resonance of Jahin's work, particularly poems like those about the Bahr El-Baqar and Gaza students, which vividly portray Egypt, its people, and the Arab world. A short film, directed by Mohamed Fadel, further showcased Jahin's diverse talents as a playwright, poet, cartoonist, and screenwriter. El Wasimi described Jahin as a multifaceted artist, philosopher, and a man of the people, deeply connected to Egyptian folk life. He lauded Jahin's ability to seamlessly blend colloquial and classical Arabic in his writing. 'Jahin was an artist from head to toe and loved art and new artists, actively seeking out fresh talent,' El Wasimi added. He shared an anecdote about the creation of Jahin's quatrains, recalling a disagreement over the number of instruments to be used. Jahin favoured string instruments, while El Wasimi envisioned a larger orchestra of over 50 musicians. The recording was ultimately made according to El Wasimi's vision. He explained that the quatrains occupy a unique genre, neither simple romantic songs nor purely patriotic anthems, but rather explorations of diverse stories and emotions, especially when paired with Mekawi's compositions. Attendees enjoyed listening to excerpts from the quatrains, captivated by El Haggar's powerful vocals and Mekawi's evocative melodies. Abdel Wahab discussed the poem 'Ala Esm Masr' ('In the Name of Egypt'), describing it as a remarkable collaboration between poet and translator, conveying profound emotions in English. 'In Love of Egypt,' the title of the English translation by El Anani, she noted, perfectly captured Jahin's sentiment. She referred to Jahin as an inspiration for generations and the poem as an epic, encompassing Egypt's history, rulers, and geography. While only 23 verses in Arabic, El Anani's English rendering spans 56 verses. Abdel Wahab suggested that the translation could be a valuable tool for language students. El Hadary reviewed a new translation of Jahin's quatrains, Fi Hodn El Watan ('In the Embrace of the Homeland'), highlighting Jahin's ability to evoke the nation's experiences without explicitly naming it, allowing 'Egypt' to be embodied within the writing itself. This celebration was part of a Ministry of Culture initiative, under the patronage of Ahmed Fouad Hanno, Minister of Culture, to celebrate Salah Jahin's significant contributions to Egyptian identity, titled 'Our Uncle… Salah Jahin.'
