The Sheikh Hamad (Qatar) International Award for Translation and International Understanding, in the category of “Life Achievement” – one of the most prestigious awards in the Arab world, is given to Cairo-based author and translator Persa Koumoutsis, for all its work and its contribution to intercultural dialogue.
The Greek language is honored in the person of the Persian Koumoutsis and the Hellenist Khaled Rauf, who translates Greek literature into Arabic and is awarded a corresponding prize, since the purpose of the Skeikh Hamad Awards is to honor the languages ​​that contribute to international dialogue. hence the countries where these languages ​​are spoken – through awards to people with a long and meaningful contribution to them.
“This is the first time that the Greek language as a body of culture is included in these extremely important awards that promote humanitarian ideals and understanding between peoples with different languages ​​and cultures,” Persa Koumoutsi told the Athenian / Macedonian News Agency. -among other things- he has translated most of the work of the Egyptian Nobel Prize-winning writer Nagib Mahfouz from Arabic as well as works by other important Arab composers, as well as Arabic poetry.
“Act of cultural diplomacy”
“It was an act of cultural diplomacy, which we won with our sword,” said Persa Koumoutsi, who was born and raised in Egypt and contributed to both the translation of Arabic literature into Greek and literature, with her own works. has been recognized and awarded by various bodies.
The peculiarity of these awards, however, is, as he explains, “that they themselves select you after a systematic research and suggest that you submit the required documents for further evaluation.”
The evaluation of her own work began in ’19, when she was invited to the awards of that year. However, he did not know, as he says, that they had in mind to include the Greek language in the next awards. Thus, from February ’20, the communication and a more detailed evaluation of the offer of the Greek language in general began, which lasted for about a year, without her even knowing the exact intentions of the people of the institution. “From the spring of ’21 onwards, thorough audits of my personal and mainly my translation work began, from the beginning of the ’90s until today, but also of activities that are relevant or aimed at international understanding: articles, critical texts, studies , participations in conferences etc “, Ms. Koumoutsi explains to APE-MPE.
“My translations have been studied and examined one by one to determine their quality and validity, even if they are indeed translated from the original language, because unfortunately it happens that books are translated from an intermediate language, having the label of” authenticity “in terms of the language from which they translate, and they know this well “, he points out.
The process also included a series of oral interviews in Arabic on issues of literature, language, common perceptions about interculturalism, and the problems that arise in the translation of original works. “It was indeed a very strict, but fair I want to believe choice. “This award was also claimed by translators and academics from other European languages, including English and Dutch,” said the author and translator, who has won one of the most important awards in the Arab world in this field, “perhaps the second largest of the Arab world after the International Prize for Arabic Literature “, as he characteristically points out.
The category in which the “Life Achievement” is awarded is considered the most important and covers the entire work of a candidate, as it requires continuous, honest and consistent presence in the Letters. “It is an award for the whole and the scope of the work, which is awarded selectively to translators who have stood out and covers the work done for many years. In my case, the authorship, along with everything else, also played a role, because it also for the most part promotes dialogue and international understanding, while the thorough and practical knowledge of the Arabic language also advocated “, says Mrs. Koumoutsis, expressing her joy and emotion for this great distinction and award, which is accompanied by a cash prize.
A few words about Persa Koumoutsis
Persa Koumoutsi, a writer and translator of literature, was born in Cairo and studied at the legendary Ambetio school. She came to Greece after completing her studies at the Faculty of Philosophy of Cairo University. In the first years he taught in secondary and higher education, while from 1993 he dealt exclusively with literary translation, mainly of Arabic literature in Greek. Among the works translated from Arabic are 14 novels by the Egyptian Nobel Prize-winning author Naguib Mahfouz, as well as many works by other prominent Arab writers and poets. Among other things, her bibliography includes the first Anthology of Contemporary Arabic Poetry in Greek, for which she received the Award of the Hellenic Society of Literary Translators.
For her translation work, she has also been awarded the Cavafy International Prize, in 2001, as well as a special distinction from the Department of Greek and Italian Studies at Al-Azhar University (2015) for the entire work, which now amounts to over 40 titles of Arabic literature and eight personal novels, most focusing on intercultural dialogue.
Her personal work has also been distinguished and much of it has been translated into Arabic by the National Book Organization and the National Translation Center of Egypt. He has collaborated with European universities in intercultural education and dialogue programs and has authored articles, critical texts and studies on literature as a means and medium of understanding the Other. In 2020, together with the non-profit organization CulturePolis, inspires and co-creates the Center for Greek and Arabic Literature and Culture (K.EL.P.), which aims to promote and strengthen the cultural relations between Greece and Mediterranean countries with emphasis on the Arab world, through targeted actions and programs to inform / raise awareness of experts and the public on contemporary Greek and Arabic literature, poetry, language and other arts, concluding important collaborations and other cultural institutions in Greece and abroad . For 2022, she was selected as a member of the jury of the Leila program (Arabic literature in European Languages), while she has contributed with her original texts to Erasmus and Erasmus Plus educational programs. The award was added to her rich biography by the award from the Sheikh Hamad World Organization, based in Qatar.
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