Kalima Invites Americans to Nominate US Literature for Translation into Arabic

[Dave Monroe]

Kalima Invites Americans to Nominate Literature for Translation into Arabic

What literature best captures American dreams, opportunities and
challenges? Which books could help build mutual understanding between
the United States and the Arab World?

Kalima—a non-profit initiative which translates classic and
contemporary writing into Arabic—invites Americans to nominate US
novels, poetry or short stories for translation for Arabic readers
worldwide.

Help build bridges through literature by completing the nomination form below.

Complete and submit the form below to make your nomination and tell us
why you made your choice.

Title *

Author

Why do you think this work should be translated?

http://www.uae-us.org/kalima

Kalima Invites Americans to Nominate US Literature for Translation into Arabic
National Book Festival sponsorship to promote greater understanding
between US and Arab world

Last update: 5:02 p.m. EDT Sept. 18, 2008

WASHINGTON, Sep 18, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Kalima--an innovative
United Arab Emirates-based cultural initiative whose mission is to
translate more than 100 works of classic and contemporary titles each
year into Arabic--today launched a program inviting Americans to
nominate literature by US authors for translation. With the goal of
building understanding between the United States and Arab speakers,
Americans are invited tonominatenovels, short stories or poetry
thatreflectAmerican dreams, opportunities and challenges or otherwise
embody the "American spirit."

The initiative coincides with Kalima's participation in the National
Book Festival, an annual event on the National Mall, sponsored by the
Library of Congress and hosted by First Lady Laura Bush. People can
submit nominations at www.uae-us.org/kalima. Visitors to the National
Book Festival can nominate titles at the Kalima exhibit space in the
Let's Read America I pavilion at the National Mall.
Kalima was founded last year by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture &
Heritage, and is based on a simple premise: Most great works of world
literature are currently not available in Arabic, making them
inaccessible to most readers in the Arab world. Among last year's
international selections for translation were American authors William
Faulkner, Alan Greenspan, Frank Herbert, and Thomas Pynchon....

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/kalima-invites-americans-nominate-us/story.aspx?guid=%7B9A7FE788-20AB-4A50-A636-B91462D4AC10%7D&dist=hppr