"Arabic: The Language of the Quran and the Spirit of Civilization"... Faculty of Arts Celebrates World Arabic Language Day
Written by: Dr. Hind Hassanein
As part of its celebrations of World Arabic Language Day, the Faculty of Arts - Department of Arabic Language organized an academic and cultural symposium titled "The Arabic Language and Cultural Identity," under the patronage of Professor Dr. Ahmed El-Menshawy, President of the University, and Professor Dr. Magdy Allwan, Dean of the Faculty of Arts. The symposium was supervised by Professor Dr. Abdel Nasser Eissa, Head of the Arabic Language Department, and Professor Dr. Saeed Farghaly, the symposium coordinator, with the presence of a gathering of faculty members, researchers, and students, in addition to a number of poets, writers, and individuals interested in linguistic and cultural matters from inside and outside the university. Prominent attendees included the renowned poet Ahmed Al-Shafie, Professor Abdel Ghani Masoud, Professor Mudathir Al-Khayyat, Professor Ahmed Shafea, Professor Mahmoud Farghaly, Professor Mohamed Ali Al-Asyouti, Professor Sohaib Shaaban, Ms. Shadia Hefzy, and Dr. Weam Essam.
The seminar was opened by Professor Dr. Magdy Alwan, who in his speech emphasized the status of the Arabic language as the language of the Holy Quran and the language of science and thought throughout the ages, praising the department's continuous efforts in serving the Arabic language and enhancing its position among world languages. He pointed out that celebrating the International Arabic Language Day, which was established by the United Nations on December 18 each year, provides an opportunity to reaffirm loyalty to this ancient language and raise awareness of its importance in building national and Arab identity. The seminar's activities included specialized speeches delivered by a group of the department's professors, most notably Professor Dr. Mohamed Abdel Hakam, who spoke about 'Contemporary Challenges Facing the Arabic Language in the Era of Globalization,' and Professor Dr. Abdel Hafiz Al-Sayed, who reviewed 'Contributions of Arabic Literature in Promoting Civilizational Dialogue,' alongside a presentation by Professor Dr. Abdel Gawad Tawfiq from the Department of English on 'The Role of Youth in Preserving the Arabic Language and Developing Its Use in the Digital Space,' and Professor Dr. Saeed Farghly, who talked about the importance of keeping the Arabic language as a strong fortress that protects our children from being disconnected from their roots.
The symposium also witnessed accompanying cultural events, which included various poetry and literary paragraphs to develop linguistic awareness and encourage students to be creative in various fields of language and literature. It is noteworthy that the International Day of the Arabic Language is celebrated on December 18 of each year, coinciding with the adoption of Arabic as the sixth official language by the United Nations in 1973, in recognition of its civilizational and cultural value, and its role in the transfer of knowledge throughout history.
