The English Literature Department of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) organized their first academic forum entitled, ‘Between Tradition and Modernity: Emirati Literature on the Map of International Literature: Saleha Ghabesh’s Writings as a Paradigm’. It addressed the past, present and future of Emirati literary heritage, taking the writings of Saleha Ghabesh as a model.

Professor Saif Al Qaydi, Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, said that this literary forum was aimed at strengthening the ties between the university and UAE society. The forum sought to promote the role played by UAEU in lighting the way forward in terms of academic research and as a source of scientific and literary knowledge. The forum is one small part of the effort being made to translate and publish more Emirati literature on the international stage in an effort to build bridges with other literatures, cultures, and civilizations around the world.

Dr. Gohar Saddik, Chair of English Literature Department, mentioned that an array of distinguished professors from a variety of different universities had studied Emirati literature and the writings of Saleha Ghabesh. Professor Waleed Al Omari, Dean of the Educational Services Sector at Taibah University in Saudi Arabia, delivered a speech about the innovative work of Saleha Ghabesh, while Dr. Yousef Hateeni presented his research entitled, ‘The Smell of Ginger Novel: Time Game in Open Space’. Dr.  Ahmed Afify, from the Department of Arabic Language and Literature at UAEU, presented on ‘Textual Issues in the Divan: Waiting for the Sun’, while Dr. Al-Rasheed Bu-Shair from UAEU talked about the poetry of Saleha Ghabesh in his paper, ‘The Poetry of Saleha Ghabesh: Between Heritage and Legend.’ Additionally, Dr. Gohar Saddik presented a critical study concerned with intertextuality under the title, ‘Intertextuality, Myth, and Andalusian Tradition in Emirati Literature.’

Professor Rehab Al Kilani from Zayed University discussed the heritage elements in Saleha Ghabesh’s novels. The forum concluded with a presentation by the female students from the English literature and Arabic literature departments. This presentation, ‘Emirati Literature and a Dialogue of Civilizations: the Poems of Saleha Ghabesh’ was translated into English. The students recited poems by Saleha Ghabesh from the poetic anthology, ‘Who Will Secure a Safe Haven for Buthayn?’ in both English and Arabic.

It is worth noting that Dr. Gohar Saddik had previously translated many of these poems which have been published alongside critical studies of Emirati literature and Saleha Ghabesh’s poems in major international journals in USA, Australia, Romania, and India.