The Syrian General Organization of Books has recently launched its annual prizes for the best creative literary and artistic works.

The prizes include: Hanna Mina prize for novel writing, Sami al-Droubi prize for translation into Arabic, Omar Abu Risheh prize for poetry as well as the child-oriented story prize and the child-oriented painting prize.The book organization said, that the prizes target Syrian and Arab writers and artists who are resident in Syria.

The Businesswomen Committee at the Damascus Chamber of Commerce has launched a book titled “Soft Fists” depicting the experiences of 23 Syrian businesswomen who confronted the impacts of the terrorist war on their country and who have managed during the years of war on Syria to establish small projects and present different trade, economic and humanitarian services to the Syrian society and economy.

Mrs. Sonia Khanji, Chairperson of the Businesswomen Committee, said in a statement to SANA that the book, which was launched Sunday evening, presents examples of Syrian businesswomen, who, despite the difficult circumstances caused by the war and the economic siege on Syria, have turned the negative circumstances in the country into positive energy that enabled them to play a major role in economic empowerment and development.

“Each one of these women has achieved notable presence in her work sector. Even during the war, they managed to break many old-fashioned social and economic barriers and played a new effective role in economic life through creating new work methods inspired by the situation on the ground, thereby presenting the world a distinguished example to follow,” according to Khanji.

The Arabic Encyclopedia Body has recently released the fifth volume of the Encyclopedia of Antiquities in Syria in a distinctive formulation and content filled with research illustrated with tables, figures, drawings and color pictures.

This volume contains the sequence of the letter G and the beginning of the letter H according to the methodology used in the encyclopedia, which was prepared, written, reviewed, and checked by specialized academic researchers.

The volume includes titles and research dealing with ancient sites in Syria and in the Levant as well as providing a comprehensive introduction to each topic, accompanied by pictures, plans, and illustrative maps. The volume also introduces the pioneers of research on Syrian antiquities.

The encyclopedia is provided by a technical, administrative and linguistic staff under the supervision of Dr. Mahmoud Al-Sayyed, the Director General  of the Encyclopedia and Dr. Mahmoud Hammoud, head of the Antiquities Encyclopedia in Syria.

Amal Farhat

Damascus, ST- "Sins' is a novel written by the Syrian author Sohail al-Theeb. It is classified as "war literature" because it documents the life of the Syrians and their suffering as a result of the aggressive war against their homeland.

The Arab Cultural Center in "Al-Meedan" held a special critical seminar on this novel, during which the participants dealt with the human and social situations experienced by the characters of the novel. The writer Muhammad Al-Jafri explained that this work mixes reality with imagination.

Washington’s long war on Syria”, by Stephen Gowans, is probably the most important book on   the terrorist war in Syria,   between 2011 and 2016, which is still ongoing.

The book tells the true story of the Syrian people and their struggle for independence and development as well as truths that are so deeply hidden in western countries..

Stephen Gowans paints a very clear portrait of   the forces that tried to interfere in Syria and documents the hostile extensive efforts to dominate it   since the end of the Second World War…