Ashraf AboArafe
The Russian writers delegation arrived in Cairo yesterday to participate in the 56th Cairo International Book Fair. The delegation consists of the writer Igor Sayed, the critic, poet and publisher Maxim Emelin, and Murad Gattin, the director of the Russian cultural centers in Egypt, received the delegation yesterday in the presence of Anna and Ekaterina Chuenkova, representing the United Publishing House for Humanities.
It was agreed to hold a seminar for the delegation at six o’clock tomorrow evening, Thursday, at the Russian Cultural Center in Dokki, in the presence of Dr. Anwar Ibrahim, the dean of Egyptian translators from the Russian language, Dr. Dohy Assi, the writer and member of the House of Representatives, and Dr. Mohamed Nasr El-Gebali, professor of Russian literature and language and former cultural advisor in Moscow.
The seminar will be moderated by Sherif Gad, director of cultural activities at the Russian House and head of the Egyptian Association of Graduates of Russian and Soviet Universities.
For his part, Murad Gattin stated that the Russian House in Cairo is pleased to receive the delegation of Russian writers whom we have been waiting for from year to year, as we are waiting for Russian books in all sciences, especially Russian literature and language books, which the Russian House is keen to donate to the Egyptian bodies concerned with teaching the Russian language. Gattin also confirmed that there will be more than one meeting for the delegation of Russian writers with the Russian community in Egypt. Sherif Gad, head of the Graduates Association, stated that Russian participation in the Cairo International Book Fair has witnessed a state of stability in recent years thanks to the efforts of the Russian publishing house “United for Humanities” since accepting the initiative submitted by the Egyptian Association of Graduates of Russian and Soviet Universities to sign a cooperation protocol between Egypt and Russia for free participation in book fairs in Cairo and Moscow. The agreement has been in effect since the tenure of Dr. Haitham Al-Hajj, former head of the General Book Authority.
