Category: RECORDS IN ME & AFRICA*

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E) : Sham Al Bakour, Syrian School Girl, 7, who survived horrors of civil war Crowned Champion of the ‘Arab Reading Challenge 2022’ at Dubai Opera House

Syrian girl, 7, who survived horrors of civil war crowned Arab Reading Challenge champion.

Sham Al Bakour named sixth winner of prestigious title at Dubai Opera House awards ceremony.

A Syrian schoolgirl who survived a deadly missile attack during the civil war in her country has been crowned Arab Reading Challenge champion in Dubai.

Sham Al Bakour, 7, was only six months old when her family’s car was struck during violence in Aleppo in December, 2015.

Her father was killed while she and her mother survived the horrific attack.

She has now completed a remarkable journey from tragedy to triumph to win words of praise from Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai.

In footage released by Dubai Media office, Sheikh Mohammed is seen speaking to Sham as she clutches her winner’s trophy at a ceremony at Dubai Opera House on Thursday.

Her success was met with warm applause by a large audience at the Downtown Dubai culture spot.

“She sustained injuries in the head and at the hospital doctors stitched them,” said Sham’s mother, Manal Matar, 33.

“I have been her support along with my family and her father’s family.

“I noticed she had a passion for memorising texts and Quran verses since she was less than three years old so I supported her.”

A young symbol of hope

She said that Sham has been an inspiration for the children in her family and school.

“Her cousins wait to see what she reads to learn from her.

“Her school mates will certainly be inspired. This challenge will help raise a generation that can rebuild Syria.

“Love of reading must start at a very young age.”

The young literature lover read 70 books to win a competition that attracted 22 million entrants from 44 countries.

When asked about what she would do with the Dh1 million prize money, she said she would give it to her mother.

“We haven’t thought of what to do with the money yet. The focus is on Sham, she is my investment for a better future,” Ms Mattar said.

Sham secured top spot ahead of Adam Al Qasimi from Tunisia in second, and Rashid Al Khateeb from Jordan, in third.

Reading is ‘food for soul and mind’

The young winner said reading offers an opportunity to transport yourself to new places with every turn of a page.

“I’m very happy to win and would like to invite all my friends and all young people to read. Reading is food for soul and mind,” Sham said.

“Reading takes you places, every story introduces you to different people and takes you to a new place.”

The youngster impressed judges with the confidence and clarity with which she expressed her ideas and opinions.

“It was a unanimous decision on Sham, who showed confidence,” said Lailah Al Obaidi, professor in Arabic language and literature at the University of Sharjah, and one of three judges.

“Sham will pave the way for the generation of the future because at this young age, she will be a motivation for more young readers in the Arab world.”

The annual winner is selected based on the pupil’s ability to articulate general knowledge, their critical thinking and communication skills, plus the diversity of books they have selected.

The Arab Reading Challenge was launched by Sheikh Mohammed in 2015 to encourage a million young people to read at least 50 books in a year.

Helping to shape young minds

Noor Aljbour, from Jordan, won Dh300,000, along with the title of Outstanding Supervisor, in recognition of her work guiding and motivating pupils through the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The obstacles and the amount of work to prepare for this edition of the reading challenge were huge because its the first to happen after Covid-19,” Ms Aljbour said.

“Pupils returned to schools lacking the passion for reading, this meant that we needed to encourage pupils not only to read but to also pick up on their studies.”

Morocco’s Mukhtar Jasoulet school won the Dh1 million Best School award.

In the category for Arab pupils living in foreign countries, Nada Al Satri from Belgium was named the champion.

source/content: thenationalnews.com (headline edited)

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Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, with the six finalists at the Arabic Reading competition at Dubai Opera. Left to right, Mohammed Jamil (Bahrain), Rashid Al Khateeb (Jordan), Sham Bakour (Syria), Adam al Qasimi (Tunisia), Ghala Al Enzi (Kuwait) and Areej Al Qarni (Saudi Arabia). All photos: Ruel Pableo for The National

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DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E) / SYRIA

SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi Red Crescent Receives Guinness World Record for ‘Saving A Soul’ Campaign to Save lives

More than 9,000 people signed up online to learn first aid within 24 hours of the campaign launching.

 The Saudi Red Crescent Authority has received a Guinness World Record for its “Saving a Soul” awareness campaign after 9,836 people signed up to learn first aid within 24 hours.

More than 9,000 people signed up online to learn first aid and how to use automated external defibrillators within 24 hours of the campaign launching, Saudi Press Agency reported.

Spokesperson for the Saudi Red Crescent Authority, Abdulaziz Al-Suwaine, said the campaign was held at Riyadh Front and witnessed a big turnout from both citizens and residents who showed true willingness to learn first aid and ways to use AEDs.

The authority has installed defibrillators in several public places to help save lives, he added.Al-Suwaine said the campaign’s success in attracting such a large number of people in a short amount of time shows how responsible Saudi society is and the will of its individuals to be influencers at the humanitarian level.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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The Saudi Red Crescent Authority receives a Guinness World Record for its “Saving a Soul” awareness campaign. (SPA)

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SAUDI ARABIA

MOROCCO: CEO Omar Channawi Features on Forbes’ Global Meets Local List

CEO of the Middle East, Global Entrepreneurial Markets, and Sub Sahara Africa at Procter & Gamble (P&G) Omar Channawi has featured in the Forbes’ “Global Meets Local 2022” list for the MENA region.

The Moroccan businessman also holds the position of P&G’s Senior Vice President of Sales in Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa.

Channawi started his career with P&G Morocco in 1993 and assumed his current position in 2019 after building a solid career with the American consumer goods corporation over two decades.

P&G is the parent organization of numerous well-known brands such as Downy, Pampers, Always, Braun, Gillette, Olay, Oral-B, and Head & Shoulders. 

The company’s portfolio also includes brands that are often seen as competitors in the MENA market such as Tide and Ariel. 

According to Forbes, P&G accumulated $80.2 billion in net sales in the 2021/22 financial year with the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, and India contributing to 14% of total net sales.

The decades-long economic growth recorded in some MENA economies has encouraged numerous multinational companies such as P&G to set up offices in the Middle East, most often in the region’s largest economic hub Dubai.  

The presence of multinational companies in the region, according to Forbes, “create[s] thousands of jobs as well as bringing technological advancements and capital into the region.”

This year, Forbes recognized 51 executives from 50 companies for the 10th edition of its annual Global Meets Local ranking. The companies operate in the technology, banking, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, and automotive sectors.

As for the executives, they represent 27 nationalities with most CEOs coming from Britain and France, each had five executives on the list. 

source/content: moroccoworldnews.com (headline edited)

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The Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, and India contributed by 14% t o P&G’s total net sales in the 2021/22 financial year.

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MOROCCO

MOROCCO: 1st Edition of ‘Jassad Festival’ Honors Women Theater Directors

Morocco’s cultural capital Rabat is hosting the first edition of Jassad, the International Festival of Women Directors, between October 25 and 30. The event aims to highlight and pay tribute to the achievements of women theater directors from across the world.

Organized by Morocco’s Aquarium Theater and Anfass Theater, the festival will feature renowned women directors from Morocco, Tunisia, Lebanon, Spain, France, Denmark, and Romania.

“Through this festival, we wish to establish a ritual of recognition towards all the creative women who serve the theater,” said Amsaa Houri, director of Anfass Theater.

The six-day event also aims to “strengthen the resilience and hope of women actors in the cultural and creative industry, at a time when the sector has been seriously affected by the Covid-19 pandemic,” Houri added.

The festival serves as a platform for cultural and artistic exchanges, as its program offers a wide range of activities, including plays, a master class, workshops, as well as meetings and debates, indicated the organizers in a press release.

Director of Aquarium Theater Naima Zitan described the festival as “a meeting, an exchange, a discovery, all this and a little more,” explaining that the event is dedicated to theatrical creation, as well as exchanging ideas, experiences, and different visions of the world.

“The Jassad (meaning body in Arabic) is what unites us, wearing a festive hat to welcome and greet a vast and colorful audience,” Zitan said.

The festival will feature various theatrical pieces, including Naima Zitan’s “Le Masque” (The Mask), Asmaa Houri’s “Automne” (Autumn), as well as “Joyeux Anniversaire” (Happy Birthday) by Morocco’s Fatima Zohra Lahouitar and “Boujloud” by French-Moroccan Kenza Berrada. 

The six-day event will also feature “Nawal” by Lebanon’s Lina Abyad, “Heimat Wort” by Tunisia’s Meriam Bousselmi, “Enlorquecidas” by Spain’s Marta Ocana, and “Une Maison de Poupee” by France’s Lorraine de Sagazan.

In addition, the event will include a seminar titled “Profession: Woman of Theater,” featuring Morocco’s Zohra Makac and Omar Ferhat, Lebanese director and theater professor Lina Abyad, and Denmark’s theater actress Julia Varley.

source/content: moroccoworldnews.com (headline edited)

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The poster of the Jassad International Festival of Women Directors featuring renowned directors

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MOROCCO

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E) : Sharjah Ruler Launches 19 New Volumes of the ‘Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language’ taking the Completed Volumes to 36 Covering 9 Letters so far.

H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, launched on Tuesday, 19 new volumes of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language at the headquarters of the Arabic Language Academy in Sharjah.

The 19 new volumes of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language cover four letters, bringing the total number of letters edited so far to 9, thus increasing the number of completed volumes of the project to 36.

The volumes of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language were issued, directed and printed in Al Qasimi Publications in Sharjah.

Sharjah Ruler welcomed the attendance of members of the Academy from different countries, praising their great efforts in working on the historical dictionary, which is one of the valuable achievements that must be worked and built in order to spread, learn and teach the Arabic language.

His Highness announced an endowment to support these Academies in fulfilling their mission to the fullest, pointing to the importance of establishing private centres owned by the Academy.

Sheikh Sultan addressed the great efforts in supporting the learning of the Arabic language in Sharjah, pointing out to the vision and idea of establishing Al Qasimia University, which came as a culmination of His Highness’ efforts to support the Arabic language and Islam. “Here in Sharjah, we established Al Qasimia University, and this university is mine, and it graduates many students from Japan to the Americas,” he said.

The Ruler of Sharjah stressed the importance of preserving Arab traditions in any place and time of all members of society, because this is a part that integrates with speaking the Arabic language and shows belonging.

His Highness said, “We have worked to establish special institutions for the Arabic language, and we have established them with decrees and laws in order to preserve them, so as not to make them blown by the wind, and make the lovers of this language responsible for them.”

The Ruler of Sharjah concluded his speech by talking about the ancient history of Sharjah, as it was mentioned in the report of the leader sent by Alexander the Great when he came to Persia in the year 331 BC. M, pointing out that Sharjah and its people preserve the language, literature and poetry, highlighting their roles in supporting and spreading science and knowledge.

For their part, a number of attendees from the Academy expressed their appreciation to His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah for providing great support for the Arabic language.

The Sharjah Ruler launched the first 17 parts of the “Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language” at the opening of the 40th edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair 2021. With the official launch of the dictionary’s website, people can search and read all the completed volumes.

source/content: wam.ae (headline edited)

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SHARJAH, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E.)

EGYPT/ EMIRATES/ LEBANON/ PALESTINE/ TUNISIA: 6 Arab Female Filmmakers to Keep an Eye On 

Read on for a list of regional female filmmakers who have been taking the industry by storm.

Farida Khelfa

Farida Khelfa is an Algerian-French documentary filmmaker. She is currently set to release a new film titled “From The Other Side of the Veil” that aims to dismantle misconceptions and stereotypes that often surround Arab women.

Kaouther Ben Hania

The Tunisian filmmaker made headlines in the film industry after her critically acclaimed movie “The Man Who Sold His Skin” was shortlisted for the Oscar’s Best International Feature Film award this year.

Ayten Amin

The Egyptian director has long chronicled the lives of women in modern Egypt. Her feature film “Souad” was selected for the cancelled 2020 Cannes Film Festival.

Danielle Arbid

Danielle Arbid is a Lebanese filmmaker. Her work has screened at numerous film festivals in France and the rest of the world, including New York, San Francisco, Tokyo and more.

Annemarie Jacir

The Palestinian filmmaker has written, produced and directed award-winning films such as “A Post Oslo History.” Her movie “Wajib” (2017) won her 18 international awards.

Nujoom Al-Ghanem

The Emirati filmmaker, writer and poet had to overcome societal stigma and family disapproval to make it. She defied the odds and produced films such as “Amal” (2011) and “Sounds of the Sea” (2015).

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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EGYPT/ EMIRATES(U.A.E)/ LEBANON/ PALESTINE/ TUNISIA

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E): Dubai School sets Guinness Record for ‘World’s Largest Space Exploration Lesson’

Students from different UAE schools are being mentored in the space camp by celebrated names in space exploration and science, including Nasa astronauts and scientists.

Loud cheers echoed across the auditorium of a Dubai school campus on Tuesday as it made to the Guinness World Records .

The Innoventures Education group of schools set a record for conducting the world’s largest space exploration lesson (multiple venues) with 2,000 students from its five schools during the ‘Space 2101’ space camp where pupils from UAE schools have convened.

Poonam Bhojani, CEO, Innoventures Education, said: “We are delighted with the record for the maximum number of attendees in a Stem lesson across multiple venues. There were 108 nationalities of students who attended this course.”

The space camp, being held from October 17-21 at Dubai International Academy (DIA), Al Barsha, is seeing students from different UAE schools being mentored by celebrated names in space exploration and science, including Nasa astronauts and scientists.

At the camp, students can design experiments which stand a chance of being conducted in space. They can also have the schematic of their design printed and signed by the visiting astronauts and scientists as a keepsake.

Innoventures Education has partnered with Starlight Education, to offer students between 12 to 18 years at the camp a unique opportunity to design a sustainable habitat together with real astronauts and high-achieving scientists from around the world. The five-day programme will help students build critical thinking, leadership and teamwork, presentation techniques, and help build Stem skills as well as in-depth knowledge of designing space habitats that are fit for human wellbeing.

Hitesh Bhagat, principal, DIA, EH said: “The Space 2101 initiative, which has been going on around the world, has a strong good connection with the UAE’s space programme. The initiative is all about giving a different learning environment to our students where they can interact with experts.”

Students delighted to enter the records book

Students at the camp are getting to learn about real-world Stem skills like 3D design, coding, robotics and other industry-linked content. Ayesha Aldaboos, Grade 9 Emirati student at the Collegiate International School (CIS) said: “The programme taught me about other options in the science field. When I was younger (in junior classes), I always wanted to do something in the field of space. I don’t think I have the guts to become an astronaut, but maybe working at Nasa would be really nice.”

Raffles International School Year 8 student Mohammed said: “We are delighted that we’ve managed to enter the Guinness World Records. This camp has been fun, I made new friends and interacted with a lot of people from other schools. I also learnt about a new app that is being used for coding.

Ellen from DIA, said: “I used to hear about the Guinness World Records all the time, so it was exciting to be a part of this record-breaking achievement. While interacting with astronauts I got a chance to ask questions that have always intrigued me. I also learnt about computer aided design (CAD) and 3D modelling. I want to learn coding, and when I grow up I want to work for myself not for others.”

source/content: khaleejtimes.com (headline edited)

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DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E)

MAURITANIA: Aminetou Mint El-Moctar Fights Barriers to Women’s Education

A longtime supporter of women’s rights in Mauritania, Aminetou Mint El-Moctar is currently focusing her efforts on confronting the barriers that deprive young women and members of vulnerable communities of university education.

The 65-year-old human-rights activist works through the Association of Women Heads of Households, which she founded in 1999, to support women’s issues in Mauritania and to renounce the various forms of discrimination against them.

She also founded the Coalition of Mauritanian Organisations for Education, which aims to eliminate discrimination against women and disadvantaged people in terms of their right to education.

In an interview with Al-Fanar Media, she recounted how her personal experience of being deprived of university education and forced into early marriage motivated her activism.

The right to education is inseparable from women’s aspirations to play a greater role in socio-economic and political life, she said.

The basic right to education opens the door to all other rights, she added. “Our homeland will not be able to achieve economic growth or political development without promoting the right of both sexes to education and raising education quality in all levels.”

Early Marriage and Activism

Aminetou Mint El-Moctar grew up in a middle-class family in the capital, Nouakchott. Her father was a merchant and her mother passed away early after her birth, so she lived with her grandmother. She started her education at a young age. At secondary school, she was forced to drop out to get married at the age of 13.

At that time, El-Moctar was becoming active in political demonstrations, but her father prevented her from taking part in them by “tying her with chains,” she said.

She told Al-Fanar Media: “I rebelled against early marriage and the traditions that exclude women and make them a mere tool for the traditional and patriarchal iron fist that sets them a binding path, without regard to their personal choices.”

She added: “Human-rights activism helped me rediscover myself, refined my skills, and made me more aware of the conditions of marginalised women who are forced to drop out under the pressure of outdated social traditions.”

In her struggle, El-Moctar has won several awards and medals. In 2006, she was awarded the Human Rights Prize of the French Republic. Academics at Georgetown University, in the United States, nominated her as one of the 500 most influential people in the Islamic world. In 2015, she was shortlisted for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Education of Girls in Mauritania

According to statistics, girls’ education in Mauritania faces many problems, including a high dropout rate. Some 47 percent of girls do not make the transition from primary to secondary school. Moreover, only 17 to 20 percent of university students are female.

Mauritania has made efforts to increase girls’ participation in education, but El-Moctar thinks these efforts are deficient in light of traditions that hinder many young women from joining the university. Economic deprivation is also a factor for many Mauritanians. In addition, El-Moctar says, some government policies “place restrictions on women’s access to leadership positions in all sectors.”

The women who do enrol in higher education run into additional problems, El-Moctar said. These include discriminatory educational curricula and practices, gender-based violence, government interventions in curricula and teaching methods, and a decrease in the number of teaching staff.

Other challenges that make it difficult for many girls to continue their education include high rates of child marriage and teenage pregnancy. Additional factors affect boys and girls alike, including poverty and living at a distance from schools. El-Moctar explained that children of rural families who depend on agriculture for their livelihood are unable to travel to urban areas where schools are located.

Empowering People with Disabilities

With about 18,000 volunteers, the Coalition of Mauritanian Organisations for Education is working in partnership with international organisations on several programmes to increase access to education. Its projects include efforts aimed at improving the integration of graduates into the labour market, supporting vulnerable girls’ enrolment in universities, and enabling people with disabilities to continue their education, along with designing educational programs commensurate with their capabilities and needs.

El-Moctar also criticised what she sees as discrimination against young women in government scholarships to study abroad. She said scholarships were awarded primarily to children from officials’ families.

She called on international donors to increase the number of scholarships they offer to those who wish to complete their studies abroad. Mauritania has only one public university and it is unable to accommodate all students, she said.

A Long Activism Journey

Since 1999, El-Moctar has been supervising the activities of the Association of Women Heads of Households, to support Mauritanian women in the face of discrimination and physical violence, and to encourage them to play a greater role in society and the economy.

Women in her country are “victims of traditions reflected in government policies or university admission policies,” El-Moctar said.

However, she asserted: “I will continue my path until women get the highest levels of education as a natural right, not as an exception, and enjoy full legal equality without reservations.”

source/content: al-fanarmedia.org (headline edited)

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 Forced into early marriage and deprived of a university education herself, Aminetou Mint El-Moctar embarked on a lifelong struggle to improve women’s lives in her country.

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MAURITANIA

EGYPT: World’s Oldest Star Map Has Been Found in St. Catherine’s Monastery, South Sinai

A fragment of the legendary star map by ancient Greek astronomer Hipparchus has been uncovered in St. Catherine’s Monastery.

Within the library of St. Catherine’s Monastery in South Sinai – the oldest continuously-running Christian monastery in the world – researchers have uncovered a fragment of history’s oldest complete star map, penned by ancient Greek astronomer and mathematician Hipparchus.

Hipparchus is considered to be the greatest astronomer in ancient Greece, and so researchers had been searching for his catalogue of stars for centuries. The manuscript in St. Catherine’s Monastery appeared to be something completely different; the pages contained a collection of 10th or 11th century Syriac text called the Codex Climaci Rescriptus. But as it turned out, it wasn’t just that – the pages were a palimpsest, or a parchment in which previous text was wiped clean so that it can be reused.

But much like scribbling your pencil over recently erased writing, it was possible to discover what was erased from a palimpsest. Researchers from the University of Cambridge, the University of Rochester in New York, the Early Manuscripts Electronic Library in Rolling Hills Estates, California and the French national scientific research centre CNRS in Paris worked together to find layers of writing that had been wiped away. Amongst them were the coordinates for the constellation Corona Borealis, and by comparing these precise coordinates with how the night sky would have been arranged in antiquity, the researchers found that the coordinates would have been made in 129 BC – right when Hipparchus was making his revolutionary cosmic calculations.

An excerpt of the discovered document was recently published in the Journal for the History of Astronomy, and is available online.

source/content: cairoscene.com (headline edited)

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EGYPT

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E) : Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC) Launches Music Book Collection at Frankfurt Book Fair 2022

 The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC) launched a series of music books at Frankfurt Book Fair 2022.

Consisting of a number of publications, the series is a notable addition to the ALC’s roster of publications and focusses on Emirati and Arab singing and music.

It includes biographies of artists Eid Al-Faraj and Ibrahim Jumaa written by author Ibrahim Al-Hashemi, a book on Umm Kulthum’s reasons for selecting the poems she sang, alongside a variety of other titles, including educational books.

The launch ceremony was attended by Dr. Ali bin Tamim, Chairman of the ALC, and Saeed Hamdan Al Tunaiji, Acting Executive Director of the ALC and Director of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF), along with media representatives and book enthusiasts.

“The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre continues to drive the advancement of the Arabic language and enrich the Arabic library with original titles in an effort to encourage creativity and support authors,” said Al Tunaiji. “The series of music books we have launched is a means to shed renewed light on music and singing in the region. For the first time, the series presents biographies of musical pioneers in the UAE, in addition to documenting traditional performing arts and exploring new perspectives on Arabic singing by experts.”

The series includes two books from the ‘Pioneers Among Us’ initiative, where poet and writer Ibrahim Al-Hashemi documents the life of Eid Al-Faraj, a singer, composer, and poet. The first biography of its kind for this artist, it chronicles Al-Faraj’s journey from birth through childhood, education, and various stages of his career until the present time, illustrated by a collection of photographs.

In the second book, Ibrahim Jumaa: The Etheric Melody of the Sea, Al-Hashemi presents the life and achievements of a pioneer of music and composition in the UAE, and documents the songs and poems he wrote, composed, and presented at festivals and special occasions. The publication features photographs from Jumaa’s life, showcasing the awards and honours he received during his career.

“This music book collection completes the book series we previously launched at the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre,” added Al Tunaiji. “These works, wherein Emirati authors document the lives and professional careers of UAE musical pioneers, will greatly enrich the regional cultural scene and promote more in-depth research into the UAE’s musical heritage. The series offers a new perspective on Arab musical heritage, which is sure to spark new dialogue around it.”

The collection includes Dr. Hamad bin Sarai’s book Wahhabi Art: Kinetic and Verbal Performance from Emirati Folklore, which consists of field research documenting a form of folk performance art closely related to the agricultural environment, through interviews with people who practice the art form.

Meanwhile, the Encyclopaedia of Sung Poems, compiled by researcher Dr. Hammad Al Khatri, includes poems sung in the UAE, which are usually closer to popular taste and extend deep into the history of the community. The poems address phenomena and symbols from the surrounding environment and embody authentic Emirati vocabulary that expresses the culture of the people.

In the book Folk Songs for Children and Women in the United Arab Emirates, Dr. Fatima Al Mazrouei tries to remedy the lack of documentation of traditional folk songs, especially in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, where she collected many songs for her book which were never previously featured in published songbooks. The author also sought to collect children’s songs – often referred to as ‘Al-Ragousat’ in Abu Dhabi – in addition to songs about names, especially girls’ names.

Writing about the connection between Umm Kulthum and Arabic poetry, Dr. Ahmed Youssef Ali’s book Umm Kulthum: Poetry and Singing chronicles the legendary singer’s efforts to elevate Arabic song by performing the works of some of the greatest poets of her time and before. Umm Kulthum had a modest upbringing, only receiving religious education and being taught traditional culture, but her exceptional taste allowed her to select the poetic texts that would best serve her songs, sometimes rearranging the verses for the greatest effect.

Egyptian composer and researcher Hassan Zaki Shehata sheds light on four composers whose works have achieved tremendous success and fame in his book Rhythms of Light: A Musical Biography of Four of the Geniuses of Oriental Melody, where he analyses the works of Ahmed Sedqi, Abdel Azim Abdel Haq, Mahmoud Al Sharif, and Ali Ismail.

The collection also presents two books by composer and music researcher Muhammad Saeed Hegab. ‘The Flute: A Morsel of Cane with a Scent of Legends traces the history of the flute in an attempt to separate reality from the myths that were associated with the instrument in ancient times. The author lists the various forms of the flute and the phonetic differences between them, highlights the importance of the flute in different cultures, and explains how the instrument is manufactured and played. Meanwhile, Hegab’s The World of Bowed Instruments traces the history of string-based, bow-using instruments back to their beginnings and explores the evolution of the various families of bowed instruments. The book focusses on the instruments’ use in the musical traditions of the Arab region and similar traditions in neighbouring cultures, offering an overview of how they are made and played.

In Iraqi Musical Heritage and Civilisational Communication, Dr. Muhammad Hussein Kamer, a professor of sciences and musical theory and an expert in the al-gouza and Iraqi maqam instruments, explores the subjects of cultural communication, the connection between modern and traditional music, music education, and music learning in schools. The author discusses traditional Iraqi music, focussing on the al-gouza instrument, and offers detailed studies on the Iraqi maqam, its history, types, and characteristics.

Music researcher Bassam Abdel-Sattar’s educational book The Qanun Instrument includes an introduction to the oriental instrument and its components, highlights its role in the traditional school of music, details its musical range. The publication includes lessons and technical exercises for playing the instrument, as well as a practical guide directed at musicians who play the qanun or are looking to learn it.

The collection also features The Medium in the Rules and Theories of Arabic Music, a theoretical and applied study of the rules and theories of Arabic music, written by Egyptian author Ahmed Youssef Al-Taweel, Professor and Vice Dean of the Higher Institute of Arabic Music at the Academy of Arts.

The History of Music in Arabia and Andalusia, written by Julian Ribera and translated by Hussein Hassan, is being reprinted. The book highlights the role of the Muslims of Andalusia in preserving music and passing it down to later generations, where its legacy inspired numerous European musicians.

source/content: wam.ae (headline edited)

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ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E)