“A River on Travel”: a cultural evening in Kuwait’s Egyptian cultural office

From right: novelist Ibrahim Farghali, Egyptian cultural counselor Dr. Nabil Bahgat, Dr. Mohamed Alim, Author and traveler Ashraf Aboul-Yazid, Egyptian ambassador in Kuwait Yasser Atif, Writer Hoda Al-Shawa, Dr. Nizar Al-Ani.

The Egyptian cultural office in Kuwait held a cultural evening to discuss the traveling-themed book “A River on Travel” by the journalist and traveler Ashraf Aboul-Yazid. Invited by the Egyptian cultural counselor Dr. Nabil Bahgat and under the patronage of Egyptian ambassador Yasser Atif and his wife.

Dr. Nizar Al-Ani

The book was discussed by writer Hoda Al-Shawa, critics Dr. Mohamed Alim and Dr. Nizar Al-Ani, as the evening was moderated by novelist Ibrahim Farghali.

A picture of the author with Turkish students studying in Kuwait university

After the ambassador introduced the book and signaled for the evening to begin, a short movie about the book and its author was shown, made by director Fatima Al-Zahraa Hasan. made of a poem written specifically for the book, edited by Raed Mahdi. Copies of the movie were distributed among the attendees, as the poem is available in four languages: Arabic, English, German (translated by Hasan Hameda), and Korean (translated by Kim Ah Ram).

One of the interventions by the Egyptian ambassador

Farghali started moderating the evening by introducing the author who has published over 33 travels in Al-Arabi magazine and other cultural publications. He has over 30 books between translated and written works, besides his interviews with prominent figures on his show (The Other).

Part of the audience

“A River on Travel” includes 13 trips to countries across Asia and Africa, Europe and Latina America. It’s a vast journey of history, connecting our present with the past and future. The writer Hoda Al-Shawa discusses the book through one of its themes which is the “inspective nature of the travels.”

A cultural discussion after the event

As for Dr. Mohamed Alim he looks at Ashraf Aboul-Yazid’s style in writing about his trips, handling real events through the eye of a novelist and a history writer.

Dr. Mohamed Alim and the author Ashraf Aboul-Yazid

Dr. Nizar Al-Ani introduced his own analysis of the book comparing the author to others prominent in the field of writing about their travels, adding that Aboul-Yazid made use of his expertise as a poet and a novelist, enjoying these travels and conveying that enjoyment to the reader. The audience included.

Preparations for the short movie: A River on Travel

The audience included diplomats, journalists and media professionals, authors, and doctors, from Kuwait, Egypt, Syria, Turkey, Iran, and India. Ashraf Aboul Yazid adds that he didn’t intend to choose only the positive aspects of each country he visited, trying to put forward an entire experience, as it provides us with lessons to learn.