Sheikh Zayed Book Award to Host Cultural Seminar in Milan

‘Arab-Italian Literature Dialogue’ seminar at Villa Necchi Campiglio will introduce Award’s launched Translation Fund to the Italian market

Abu Dhabi, 03 October 2018: The Sheikh Zayed Book Award (SZBA) has organised the next instalment in its series of international seminars as part of its commitment to advance Arab culture. The seminar, entitled ‘A Dialogue Between Arab and Italian Literature’, will be held at the museum Villa Necchi Campiglio on 5th October, and will introduce the Italian audience to the most notable initiatives by the Sheikh Zayed Book Award that encourage annual nominations from outside the Arab region.

The event will host authors, publishers and translators as part of a reception, during which Dr Ali Bin Tamim, Secretary General of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award will speak about the cultural initiatives and the global dimension of the Award, and the Kalima Translation Project’s efforts in introducing Italian culture to Arab audiences. Additionally, Abdullah Majed Al Ali, Acting Executive Director of the National Library Sector at the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), will mention the many continuous efforts of DCT Abu Dhabi in promoting translation, cultural development, intellectual thought, and the heritage of the United Arab Emirates, and how the SZBA translation fund plays a key role in furthering these endeavours.

The event will also include a panel discussion featuring Italian editor and journalist Paolo Gualandris, author and Professor of Philosophy at Milan State University Carlo Sini, Italian publisher and founder of Marcos y Marcos publishing house Marco Zapparoli, Italian author and journalist Alessandro Zaccuri and philosopher Paolo Spincci.

The Milan instalment is the second in a series of seminars organised by SZBA this year to promote the award-winning books, and the next event will be held in the United Kingdom, following numerous seminars that were held in cultural landmarks and literary centres in London, Moscow, Lisbon, and most recently in New York.