Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) : Ambassador of Pakistan to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, HE Ahmad Farooq participated as a panelist at a panel discussion titled ‘Shared Voices: Literature and Art as Bridges of Culture and Understanding’ at the annual Riyadh Book Fair on 1st of October 2024. It was widely attended by Saudi youth, literature enthusiasts and members of the civic society.
The all-Pakistan panel included HE Ahmad Farooq, Ambassador of Pakistan to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, HE Suljuk Tarar, Ambassador of Pakistan to the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Ms Ameena Seyyid, Founder Director of Adab Festival and founder of Karachi Literary Festival. The panel was moderated by Mr Yazed Almulhem.
During the conversation, similarities between the Kingdom and Pakistan in terms of culture, history, social values and shared religion were discussed as being bridges that linked the two countries culturally.
Ambassador Ahmad Farooq stated that cultural affinities brought people together. Saudi Arabia and Pakistan historically shared close ties, but cultural diplomacy offered a new vista of deepening the relationship even further. In pursuance of these efforts, he highlighted that the embassy was meaningfully engaged with Ministry of Culture in the Kingdom through its 11 cultural commissions and several exciting projects were in the pipelines.
Speaking about the importance of literature, Ambassador Suljuk Tarar stated that books unified us; they were mirrors of their societies and showcased the true spirit and essence of a particular country. He stressed on the importance of having quality translations of good fiction literature in Arabic and Urdu to develop a stronger understanding of each other.
Speaking at the occasion, Ms Ameena Seyyid said that literature and art were powerful tools that helped breakdown stereotypes. They crossed geographical boundaries and shared common human values and sentiments such as grief, compassion, love and resilience. She shared that after she pioneered the Karachi literary festival in 2010, more than 100 literary festivals had been organized in Pakistan to-date. She also stated that Pakistan would welcome Saudi publishing houses and authors in future festivals.
The discussion concluded with special messages for the Saudi youth from each panelist.
