Category: General

ABU DHABI: The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC) organised a cultural retreat themed ‘Translation: Literature and Technology’, in collaboration with the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) at the University of London.

The session formed part of the ALC’s participation in the London Book Fair 2024, bringing together 30 experts and academics from various fields of translation.

Dr. Ali bin Tamim, Chairman of the ALC, said, ‘Our approach to organising our retreats was inspired by the UAE Government’s administrative excellence, which we transferred to the field of culture, turning the cultural retreats organised by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre into an important tradition that we have hosted in major world capitals to great success.’

‘The Centre recognises the important role translation plays in shedding light on cultures and the particular traits of various peoples,’ he added. ‘We also acknowledge literature’s role as a bridge that combines thought, culture, knowledge, science, and human
experiences into a blend of creative writing methods. With that in mind, we organised this year’s Cultural Retreat as part of our activities for the London Book Fair, in partnership with the University of London, to serve as an ideal platform to foster meaningful cultural discussion about translation, one of the most significant means to connect all members of the human family. The retreat focuses on literary translation, in particular, as a vehicle for communicating intellectual heritage in a creative and aesthetically appealing mould.’

The retreat shed light on a number of sub-topics in the Arabic language and the publishing industry through three sessions. The first session focused on the challenges facing literary translation, while the second discussed the challenges of translating content into Arabic. The third session focused on publishing Arabic translations and discussed translation and artificial intelligence.

In the first session, participants recommended that translators strive to understand a g
iven text’s cultural and intellectual weight and familiarise themselves with its specific traits relating to space, time, and social characteristics. They advised translators to avoid confusion with terminology, which results from having multiple translations of a single term, urging them to pay attention to the fact that translating works for children requires them to take into account the linguistic aspects.

Meanwhile, participants in the second session discussed the challenges facing the publishing of Arabic translations from other languages. They cited the disproportionate focus placed on translating works from more popular languages, such as English and French, while overlooking other important international languages, like Chinese and Hindi. Most Arab translators earn lower wages, and there is a lack of a standardised process for negotiating with publishers about remunerations.

Additionally, the shortage of courses focusing on criticism of translation in Arab universities has led professional translat
ors to shift towards work in other sectors, which, in turn, paves the way for artificial intelligence to replace them.

Participants developed a set of recommendations regarding this topic, including establishing a code of conduct for Arab translators to standardise legal contracts for rights, wages, and profit shares. The session also stressed the need to develop a transparent process for translation grants and rights acquisition that facilitates interactions in that regard and creates wider opportunities for translators to enrich cultural and scientific content in the Arab world.

Moreover, experts concluded that it is imperative to have an expert and credible review of translations into Arabic before publication and to diversify translations to cover additional languages. Recommendations also called for greater coordination among various Arab publishing houses involved in translation in order to avoid redundancy.

On the topic of translation and artificial intelligence, the most notable challenges highligh
ted during the session related to the key characteristics of the Arabic language and the limited data available on the internet to enable automatic translation to and from the Arabic language.

Participants in this session called on Arab translation institutions to invest in artificial intelligence to address the challenges facing automatic translation into Arabic. It also urged the development of a deeper understanding of the relationship between human translation and machine translation.

Source: Emirates News Agency

DUBAI: The Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) has announced the launch of a series of community events and cultural activities designed to capture the authentic spirit of Ramadan and offer residents and visitors the chance to fully embrace the celebratory atmosphere of this sacred month.

Included in the lineup are the launch of the fifth edition of the humanitarian initiative ‘Ramadan Heroes’ and the hosting of ‘Ramadan Nights’ at selected cultural and heritage venues managed by the Authority. The initiatives form part of Dubai Culture’s participation in the ‘Ramadan In Dubai’ campaign, which was launched under the directives of H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Media Council.

Implemented by Brand Dubai, the creative arm of the Government of Dubai Media Office, the campaign brings the public and private sectors together for the first time for a unified celebration of the Holy Month.

‘Ramadan Heroes’

The ‘Ramadan Heroe
s’ initiative, launched in collaboration with the Emirates Red Crescent and talabat UAE, aims to promote solidarity within society and encourage participation in humanitarian efforts. Under the theme ‘Celebrating the Gift of Giving,’ this initiative aims to support underprivileged community members by facilitating donations of Iftar and Suhoor meals, food parcels and Eid clothing. Through the ‘Ramadan Heroes’ virtual charity on the talabat UAE application, donors can easily contribute, with deliveries coordinated by the field teams of the Emirates Red Crescent locally and across the region.

Shaima Rashid Al Suwaidi, Director of Marketing and Corporate Communications at Dubai Culture, affirmed that the ‘Ramadan Heroes’ initiative demonstrates the strong spirit of solidarity within the local community and its deeply rooted values and traditions. ‘As part of its commitment to social responsibility, Dubai Culture implements initiatives aimed at fostering solidarity, promoting a culture of giving and nurturing co
mpassion by assisting needy families.’

Al Suwaidi noted that the ‘Ramadan Heroes’ initiative encourages individuals from all walks of life to participate in various forms of charitable work. She expressed Dubai Culture’s pride in collaborating with Emirates Red Crescent and talabat UAE for the ‘Ramadan Heroes’ initiative, which has positively impacted society and fostered values of tolerance among its members.

‘Ramadan Nights’

As part of the ‘Ramadan Nights’ initiative, Dubai Culture hosted a series of entertainment shows and workshops at Etihad Museum in collaboration with the Dubai Astronomy Group and Gulf Photo Plus, commemorating the UAE’s involvement in the development and construction of the lunar space station.

Additional events under the initiative are scheduled at Al Shindagha Museum, the UAE’s largest heritage museum, until 31 March. Visitors can take part in diverse Ramadan activities inspired by local heritage during this period.

The Traditional Crafts House is hosting a workshop on tradition
al ‘Mukhawara’ making, where participants will learn about traditional attire features and associated embroidery. In the ‘Safeefa Rug Tufting’ workshop, attendees can explore carpet weaving techniques using palm fronds. Visitors to the Perfume House are welcome to uncover the secrets of making scented candles and eco-friendly chimney design methods, along with crafting unique fragrances.

Children will have the opportunity to participate in interactive workshops, where they can learn to create artworks and sculptures using gypsum. Additionally, they will receive training in henna blending methods to create intricate designs that highlight its beauty. Furthermore, they can explore traditional jewellery making, gain insights into traditional Emirati costumes and engage in popular games such as ‘Al Karabi’ and ‘Tug of War’.

Through the ‘Bu Tebaila Walk’, Dubai Culture also revives the tradition of ‘Steps of Suhoor’. Families and children will have the opportunity to accompany Bu Tebaila on a tour through the ho
uses of Al Shindagha Historical Neighbourhood, chanting traditional folk songs and rhymes.

In collaboration with EmpowerHer, the Authority has also organised the Ramadan Market in the neighbourhood, showcasing a diverse range of products crafted by talented residents. Additionally, Al Shindagha Museum’s Visitor Centre has been converted into a space where visitors can come together to soak in the Ramadan ambience and share Suhoor meals provided by several vendors, including Chef Maitha, Dubai Food Babes, Sultan Eats and more.

Source: Emirates News Agency

Israeli occupation committed 8 massacres against Gaza families on Tuesday, killing 81 Palestinians and injuring 93 others during the past 24 hours, Gaza Ministry of Health announced.

In the daily statistical report on Gaza casualties by the ongoing Israeli aggression for the 172nd day, the ministry indicated that the death toll rose to 32,414 victims and 74,787 injuries since last October 7.

The ministry also noted a number of victims are still under rubble and on roads, and ambulance and civil defense crews were denied access to reach causalities.

Source: Jordan News Agency

His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II on Tuesday joined the 40th King Hussein bin Talal Royal Armoured Brigade personnel for iftar.

Crown Prince Al Hussein and the attendees performed the maghreb prayer.

His Royal Highness serves as assistant tank company commander on the brigade’s Second Royal Armoured Battalion.

Source: Jordan News Agency

National News Agency correspondent reported that enemy warplanes carried out mock raids and broke the sound barrier over southern villages and towns, releasing thermal balloons.

Additionally, an enemy Merkava tank positioned at the Al-Samaqa site fired shells directly towards the eastern outskirts of the town of Kfar Shuba.

NNA correspondent also reported that enemy warplanes carried out an air raid at approximately 4:15 p.m. this afternoon, targeting with two missiles a house in the southern Lebanese town of Hanin in the Bint Jbeil district.

Israeli artillery shelling also targeted the outskirts of the town of Kafr Shuba – Al-Ainlocality.

National News Agency correspondnet in Tyre reported that enemy reconnaissance aircraft flew over the villages of the districts of Tyre, Bint Jbeil, and the Litani River banks.

The outskirts of Qantara.also came under enemy artillery shelling, our correspondent reported.

NNA correspondent in Marjayoun reported that enemy aircraft launched a second raid on the southern
lebanese town of Hula, targeting Bir al-Musalbiyyat.

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon