Ashraf AboArafe
The Embassy of Mexico in Egypt yesterday evening in the Chair Opera House, in collaboration with the National Center for Translation of the Ministry of Culture, hosted the award ceremony for the third edition of the Mexican Literature Translation Competition into Arabic. The event was attended by Leonora Rueda, Ambassador of Mexico to Cairo, and Dr. Karma Sami, Director of the National Center for Translation.
Ambassador Rueda emphasized that the annual initiative aims to support local translators, promote Mexican literature and the Spanish language, and strengthen cultural ties between Egypt and Mexico. She added that the event not only celebrates literary translation but also highlights the role of literature in building cultural bridges and fostering mutual understanding between nations.
This year’s top award was given to the translation of “Canik” by Emilio Abro Gómez, a distinguished work of Mexican literature that narrates the life and rebellion of Maya leader Jacinto Canik against Spanish rule in 1761, blending poetic and historical storytelling. The award went to Mohamed Gomaa, a translator and researcher specializing in Spanish and Latin American studies, while three honorary awards were also presented.
Dr. Karma Sami highlighted that translation serves as a bridge between cultures and literatures. She noted that collaboration with the Mexican Embassy began as a discussion in 2020 and was formally established in September 2021, expressing pride in the project’s growth and development as a cultural initiative strengthening ties among peoples.
Dr. Sami also showcased previous translations, including “White Wild and Other Creatures”, which cross narrative, cultural, and linguistic boundaries. She emphasized that this year’s “Canik” continues the stories of heroes who resisted tyranny, noting that the impact of these tales is measured not by length or size but by their cultural inspiration and influence. She added that the National Center for Translation will soon publish a special edition on the life of Canik, celebrating his leadership and the determination of peoples to claim their freedom.
Launched in January 2024 during the Cairo International Book Fair, the competition attracted 16 final translations. The judging panel included Dr. Nadia Gamal El-Din (Faculty of Al-Alsun, Ain Shams University), Dr. Khaled Mohamed Abdel Moneim (Faculty of Languages and Translation, Al-Azhar University), and Dr. Khaled Ibrahim Awad Salem (Higher Institute for Translation, Academy of Arts).
