Cultural Exchange at the Crossroads That Is Cairo

The German Academic Exchange Service recently published a multilingual collection of texts from a broad cross-section of literary genres. These texts do away with the myths surrounding both the Orient and Occident. By Harald Loch

Cover West-East Tightrope Act
"To test reality we must see it on the tightrope." Oscar Wilde's dictum from 'Dorian Gray' is the book's motto

​​"The Ibn El-Balad can be a Muslim, a Christian, or a Jew. He is moderately devout. His allegiance to his religion finds expression is his observance of its values. He abides by the saying: If you are direct, you will confound your enemies."

Ibn El-Balad is the son of Egypt, the inhabitant of Cairo – with a population of over 13 million, the largest city in the Orient.

Cairo is home to one of the key offices of the German Academic Exchange Service and one which was led by Alexander Haridi from 1999 to 2005. In the form of the publication West-East tightrope act: German-Arabic Cultural exchange at the crossroads that is Cairo, Haridi paid homage to the city. A variety of renowned Egyptian and German authors were involved in the project.

The richly illustrated, multilingual volume (German, English, and Arabic) is a collection of reflections and perspectives that focus on far more than just the cities of Cairo and Berlin.

The contributions deal with the myths that surround East and West, focus on literature and its translation, show images of "taboo areas", highlight "foreigners" and reforms, and emphasise the importance of culture and science for mutual understanding.

Open debate on fundamentalism and terrorism

The opening quotation, "West-East tightrope act" is taken from a previously unpublished text by the renowned Egyptian author Gamal al-Ghitani. The optimism in this quotation must not hide the fact that a very real debate is needed if this tightrope act is to be mastered.

Despite its many playful elements, West-East Tightrope Act is certainly no circus act: Eckehard Szurka, a literary scientist from the Technical University of Brunswick, and Sayed Ahmad Fathalia Abouzid, an expert in German and Islamic Studies from Al-Azhar University in Cairo, tackle the controversial issue of fundamentalism and terrorism in the form of an open debate.

No holds are barred. The only rule is a willingness to take part in the full and frank discussion that is absolutely necessary for intercultural dialogue.

Europe's distorted image of the Orient

Claudia Ott, the celebrated translator of "the Arabian Nights", writes about authentic translations of literary texts. Her workshop report about "Archaeological translation work" illustrates the extent to which Europe's preconceived ideas about the Orient have coloured earlier translations of the text and how these romanticised "embellishments" have further shaped the continent's distorted image of the East.

German and Egyptian authors have contributed about 50 articles to the book. In these articles they do more than just highlight problems; when taken as a whole, they also exude the hope that there can be a deeper mutual understanding.

Harald Loch

© Qantara.de 2005

Translated from the German by Aingeal Flanagan

West-East Tightrope Act: German-Arabic Cultural Exchange at the Intersection That Is Cairo, published by Alexander Haridi, edited by Johanna Lutz, Marie Brey, and Rania Gaafar, 298 pages.

Qantara.de

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