December 2014: Global Calendar of Arab and Arabic Literature Events

Arab and  Arabic literature events in some form of translation. Please email with your own or add them below:

December 1

Beirut Arab Book Fair Continues (Beirut, Lebanon)

30.11_la_bande_dessinee_et_la_litterature_jeunesse_au_maroc_et_au_maghrebThe fair opened yesterday and will continue, at BIEL, through December 11, boasting dozens of signings and parallel events. Today (Nov. 29), go to a signing of Jana Elhassan’s new book, 99. More here.

Children’s Literature and Comics from the Maghreb (Paris, France)

Several events as well as displays on “Cartoons of the Arab world” and “Illustrators of the Arab world.” From the Institut du Monde Arabe and in partnership with la Médiathèque jeunesse, la Librairie-boutique et les Actions éducatives de l’IMA. More here.

Literature and Cinema with Mahmoud Qassim (Muharraq, Bahrain)

At the Shaikh Ebrahim bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Center for Culture & Research. More here. 

December 2

Syria Speaks: Art and Culture from the Frontline (Washington D.C., USA)

The readings from the Syria Speaks collection will be given in Arabic. More here.

Arabic Poetry Reading Series (Tempe, USA)

The Arabic Studies Program at Arizona State University’s School of International Letters and Cultures has been hosting readings of Arabic poetry form different periods of Arabic literature. This event, set for 4:30 p.m., is the fourth in a series of four. More here.

December 6

Inaugural Gingko Library Conference (London, England)

Saturday evening guest speakers include Alaa Al Aswany, Louai Alhenawi and Alia Alzougbi. More here.

December 7

Inaugural Gingko Library Conference (London, England)

The closing plenary will be on Sunday at 3pm. More here.

December 8

Discussing Ghada al-Samman’s The Night of the First Billion (Dubai, UAE)At Lime Tree cafe at 8:00 o’clock. More on meetup.com.

December 9

Bilingualism on Stage (Cairo, Egypt)

With award-winning playwright and director Laila Soliman. 6 p.m., Oriental Hall, AUC Tahrir Campus.

December 11

The 2014 Naguib Mahfouz Medal for Literature Awards Ceremony (Cairo, Egypt)

As always, in Oriental Hall at the AUC Tahrir Square Campus. Results will also be announced at ArabLit. More here. 

December 12

Opening Day of I Salón Internacional de Literatura Árabe (Ciudad de Cuenca, Spain)

Featuring Abdul Hadi Sadoun, Bahira Abdulatif, Talat Shahin, Muhsin Al Ramli, Muhamed Osman, Ahmed Yamani y Hames Bitar. More here.

Opening Day of the AUC Tahrir Holiday Book Fair (Cairo, Egypt)

Held Dec. 12-14 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., except Friday from 1-5 p.m. Presumably some authors will also be on hand. More here.

December 13

Portal9 launches issue #4, Forest (Beirut, Lebanon)

At Souk el Tayeb. More here.

December 15

From Antarah to Faris Shidyaq: The Art of Editing in Translation (Abu Dhabi, UAE)

“Have the poets left anything to be said?” This, the first hemistich of Muallaqa of Antara, has been answered resoundingly by the rich and long tradition of Arabic literature and poetry. To advance the conversation, this panel explores the role of editing in the translation of Arabic literature into English. Held at Emirates Writers Union in Abu Dhabi National Theater. More here.