Events Archive

Opening Ceremony (Lectures & Keynote Speeches)

• EdArabFest Director’s Opening Speech
• Opening Speech, by Prof. Charlie Jeffery, Senior Vice Principal, University of Edinburgh.
• Keynote Speech (1): Scotland and Arabic (from 1311 until 2015), by Mr Leslie McLoughlin, Interpreter to HM The Queen and HMG 1983-2009; Honorary Research Fellow (Exeter University)·
• Keynote Speech (2): 1001 Inventions Versus 1001 Nights, by Emeritus Prof.  Salim T S Al-Hassani (Foundation for Science, Technology and Civilisation)

Food Tasting

• Food Tasting Session
• Moroccan Tea Ceremony & Tasting

Calligraphy Corner

• Calligraphy Exhibition by Calligrapher Jawad Sabagh (Iraq)
• Calligraphy Exhibition by Calligrapher Abaoubida Mohamed (Morocco)
• Calligraphy Exhibition by Calligrapher Asim Khogeer (Saudi Arabia)
• Calligraphy Exhibition by Calligrapher Azim Rehmatdin (Scotland)

Literature Seminars & Poetry Readings

• Readathon of Works by Zakaria Tamer: The Great Syrian Short Story Writer (Banibal Literature Magazine)
• Arabic Poetry Evening by Iyad Hayatleh (Arabic-English)
• Arabic Poetry Evening: A Bird is Not a Stone, by Christine De Luca (Scottish Poet) & Abla Oudeh (Translator & Lecturer)
• The Art of Qur’an Recitation & Adhan (Call to Prayer): Workshop, by Sohaib Saeed (Quranica)
• A Conversation with Two Young Libyan Authors: Ghazi Gheblawi and Mo  Mesrati (Panel Discussion) (Banipal Magazine)
• Book Launch Event (Teach Yourself Arabic Series) (John Murray ltd)
• Cultural Podcasting in Arabic: The Imtidad Podcast Experience (Banipal Magazine)
• ​Tricksters, Thieves and Heroes in Medieval Arabic Storytelling (Literature Session & Panel Discussion) (SOAS)
  • 1.  The Trickster in Arabic Literature and Beyond: A discussion by Emily Selove (U. of Exeter)
  • 2.  Readings from 1,001 Nights and Arabic Popular Epic: Two Stories in English, by Helen Blatherwick, (SOAS, U. of London).
  • 3.  Bravery and Eloquence: A discussion and recital (in Arabic and English) of poetry from the medieval Arabic popular epics (the siyar sha ‘biyyah) by Peter Phillips and Tareq al-Rubei, (SOAS, U. of London).
• Writing From the World’s Biggest Prison: Gaza (Reading & Discussion with the Author Atef Abu Saif) (CommaPress)