We hear from four final year students about their literary trip to Dubai. Four final year students of Arabic have taken part in Emirates LitFest's second annual International Youth Programme in Dubai. The University of Edinburgh was one of only four UK universities to be invited to attend the five-day event in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).Combining talks, workshops and day trips, as well as sessions at the 17th Emirates Festival of Literature, the visit was an opportunity to experience Middle Eastern and North African culture first-hand, while meeting literary students from around the globe.We talked to Alice, Gus, George and Lísa about the LitFest sessions that inspired them, and why they’re interested in Arabic literature. From left to right: Alice La Vecchia, Gus Goulding, Dr Farah Aboubakr (Lecturer in Arabic, who accompanied the students on the trip), George Humphrey-Evans and Lísa Jónasdóttir Wonderful insight into current discourses "Attending the Festival allowed me to engage with Arabic in a new way”, reports Lísa Jónasdóttir who is studying Arabic and History. “I was able to engage with Arabic in an academic setting while also getting to interact with students from Arab universities around the world”."It was an amazing opportunity to listen to some of the leading voices of modern Arabic literature”, agrees George Humphrey-Evans who, like Lísa, has recently taken our course on Reading Arabic Feminist Texts as part of his degree (in Arabic and French). George has also taken our Modern Arabic literature course and says the trip built on the interest and excitement he gained from it, adding “it gave wonderful insight into some of the most current discourses surrounding the Arabic literary canon on a global platform, such as the question of heritage as well as the key motivations for Arab writers." A force for good Asked which festival session he enjoyed most and why, Gus Goulding highlighted Hala Golani’s talk, ‘But you don’t look Arab’."It was incredibly motivational to all those in the audience considering a career in journalism after their studies” says Gus, who is studying Arabic with Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies.“She really emphasised how news reporting can be used as a force for good to raise awareness. Her discussion on how to future-proof the industry was fascinating.”“I spent the whole plane journey home trying to imagine different ways to modernize journalism in a way that also protected its integrity!" A chance to read outstanding literature As well as their experiences of the festival, we were keen to know how the students felt about their time at Edinburgh studying Arabic – Modern Arabic Literature in particular.“While I enjoyed all the texts” says Alice La Vecchia, who told us the course explored a range of works, from The Thousand and One Nights to Iman Mirsal’s poetry on immigration, “Salwa Bakr’s ‘Kull dhalika al-sawt al-jamil’ stood out”. Translated as ‘That Beautiful Voice’, Bakr’s short story about a married woman, Sayyida, explores the limits of freedom and creativity within Egyptian societal norms.“Sayyida’s story evokes both empathy and pity”, says Alice, who is studying Arabic and Spanish. “A mere ‘beautiful’ voice, calling for freedom, awakens her self-worth, yet the slightest dismissal eradicates it, pulling her back into self-deprecation. Ultimately, though not every woman shares her story, her vulnerability is universal." Want to know more about the students’ experiences? They’ve written a day-by-day report on the festival for their hosts.Read the students’ full report on Emirates LitFest's second annual International Youth Programme Are you interested in studying Arabic at Edinburgh? Arabic has been taught at the University of Edinburgh for over 260 years. Available in multiple degree combinations, our undergraduate programmes are designed to give you a thorough grounding in both classical and modern Arabic. This gives you access to a wide range of original material, from pre-Islamic poetry and Islamic religious texts, to contemporary sources, Arabic novels, newspapers, and television. Find out more about studying undergraduate Arabic More news and features Read more about student life at LLCRead more stories from Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies Tags Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies Life at LLC Undergraduate Publication date 07 Apr, 2025
