The Syrian Book Authority and the Arab Writers Union in 2022: Intellectual productions enriching Syrian and Arab culture

Damascus (ST): Various cultural publications, competitions and prizes topped the activities of the Syrian General Book Authority and the Arab Writers Union during the year 2022, making this year a preparation for more achievements that enrich the Syrian cultural life in particular, and the Arab one in general.

Dozens of books in various genres of culture, literature, thought and knowledge were published this year, including the book The Syrian Odyssey, which monitors the repercussions of the transformations of the terrorist war on Syria in the literary productions of Syrian writers from the beginning of the war until 2021.

The book “The Economy of Resistance,” prepared by a group of Syrian and Palestinian researchers, constituted systematic and comprehensive research on the foundations of the economy of resistance, embodying the need to support resistance and victory over the enemy, and how to build a resistant society and support its forces.

The book “Syrian Women Parliamentarians” by Dr. Nora Arissian documented the history of Syrian women’s participation in the beginnings of parliamentary life in Syria, highlighting their contributions to the legislative institution in the parliamentary, political, educational and other fields.

The cultural and intellectual importance of Damascus throughout the ages was included in the book (Al-Maktaba Al-Samisatiya), which was prepared by the researcher Rania Haddad, and supervised by the critic Iyad Murshid.

In the book (Suraqiyun) Iraqi poems on the love of Syria, the Iraqi poet Abd al-Ridha al-Hamid documented the poems of a number of Iraqi poets who gathered on the love of Damascus and Syria.

This year, the Vice President of the Republic, Dr. Najah Al-Attar, presented two books, “Personal Papers in Britain and the Homeland.” And political, educational, and life.. And her book, “President Assad: A Journey of Heroism and Sacrifices,” in which Dr. Al-Attar talked about an important stage in the political and cultural history of Syria, and dealt with, through several axes, ambition and intellectual discourse, and the story of resistance, steadfastness, openness, dialogue, and human communication.

A long list full of books presented by the Children’s Publications Directorate in the Syrian General Organization for Books for Children and Adolescents, came with a variety of combinations that differed in their content and style, but they participated in providing rich and diverse content that combines fun and benefit for children, by issuing many literary books that varied between poetry, stories and translated literature, literary and intellectual competitions and prizes, including:

Palestine International Competition for Creativity in the fields of story, children’s poetry, novel, travel notes and memories.

The annual poetry competition, and a literary competition for youth centered on Jerusalem.

Honoring the winners of the Syrian General Authority for Book Awards, and the winners of the State’s appreciation and encouragement awards, among others.

This year, Syria hosted many seminars for the most important Arab and international events with the participation of Syrian, Arab and international personalities, including the meeting of the General Union of Arab Writers with the participation of delegations from 12 Arab countries, in addition to Syria under the title (Writers for Arabism), in  Al-Assad National Library in Damascus. Syria won the position of Deputy Secretary-General of the General Union of Arab Writers.

During this year, the Arab Writers Union held interactive, cultural meetings with university students in several governorates, as well as youth competitions in which the union contributed to the arbitration of participating texts, launching the Syrian youth cultural team, organizing the work of educated youth and developing their talents, and holding workshops to develop writing creative texts for our youth.

The cultural centers in Damascus and the rest of the governorates hosted many literary and intellectual activities and events, and they had an impact on promoting culture in its various fields, the most important of which was Khan Shaykhun, which hosted its first cultural activity after its deliverance from terrorism.

In parallel with these activities, a number of Syrian writers and thinkers who enriched the Syrian and Arabic libraries with the most important works passed away, including the scholar Dr. Marwan al-Mahasini, former head of the Arabic Language Academy in Damascus after a rich scientific and research career, the writer Walid Ikhlasi, the writer and historian Adnan Qaitaz, and the journalist writer Qamar al-Zaman Alloush, writer Muhammad Qarania, writer Hoda Younan, and poet Adel Mahmoud.

In a statement, the Director General of the Syrian General Book Authority, Dr. Nayef Al-Yassin, indicated that the authority’s management focuses its attention on improving the quality of the book issued by it, in terms of content, language and output, and on using the available material and human resources as efficiently as possible, so that the focus is on the quality of the book is more than the number of books issued by it, indicating that the Authority pays special attention to children’s publications, and to translating important works from all languages.

K.Q.