Translating the Holocaust: Building Bridges of Understanding in the Arab World (Arabic Event)
Wed, 30 October, 2024
10:00am - 11:00am
Translation plays a vital role in fostering cultural exchange and building bridges of understanding between different communities, helping to create mutual understanding and dispel misconceptions. By making knowledge accessible in multiple languages, translation opens the door to shared histories and experiences, enriching our global society.
As part of the Antisemitism Research Initiative at The George Washington University's Program on Extremism, we were pleased to host the first episode of this Arabic-language series. Faisal Saeed Al Mutar, founder of Ideas Beyond Borders, will join the director of the Program's Antisemitism Research Initiative, Omar Mohammed, in discussing the importance of translating Holocaust literature into Arabic to open new avenues for Arabic-speaking audiences to engage with this dark chapter of human history. The discussion addressed the challenges and opportunities associated with translating Holocaust narratives and how this work contributes to combating prejudice, promoting historical understanding, fostering empathy and tolerance, and countering antisemitism.
ترجمة الهولكوست الى العربية: بناء جسور التفاهم في العالم العربي
تلعب الترجمة دورًا حيويًا في تعزيز التبادل الثقافي وبناء جسور التفاهم بين مختلف المجتمعات، حيث تساهم في خلق فهم مشترك وتقويض المفاهيم الخاطئة. من خلال إتاحة المعرفة بلغات متعددة، تفتح الترجمة الباب أمام تاريخ وخبرات مشتركة، مما يثري مجتمعنا العالمي.
ضمن سلسلة برنامج دراسة التطرف في جامعة جورج واشنطن ومبادرة دراسات معاداة السامية باللغة العربية، استضفنا في اول حلقة من هذه السلسلة بالعربية مؤسس منظمة افكار بلا حدود، فيصل سعيد ال مطر وحاوره مدير مبادرة دراسات معاداة السامية عمر محمد للتركيز على اهمية ترجمة ادبيات الهولكوست الى العربية كوسيلة لفتح افاق جديدة للجمهور الناطق بالعربية للتفاعل مع هذا الفصل المظلم من تاريخ البشرية وسيتناول النقاش التحديات والفرص المترتبطة بترجمة روايات الهولكوست وكيف تساهم في مكافحة التعصب وتعزيز الفهم التاريخي ونشر قيم التعاطف والتسامح ومكافحة معاداة السامية.
The event, "Translating the Holocaust: Building Bridges of Understanding in the Arab World," held in Arabic, represents an expansion of the Program on Extremism’s outreach on antisemitism within Arabic-speaking communities. This first Arabic-language event in the Antisemitism Research Initiative’s series convened Faisal Saeed Al Mutar, founder of Ideas Beyond Borders, and Omar Mohammed, director of the Antisemitism Research Initiative at The George Washington University. Together, they discussed the importance of translating Holocaust literature into Arabic to challenge antisemitic biases and cultivate empathy through greater historical awareness.
Mr. Al Mutar and Dr. Mohammed addressed the complex psychological, cultural, and political barriers that have limited Holocaust education in Arabic-speaking regions, often perpetuating misconceptions and entrenched biases. The speakers underscored the need to confront societal narratives that deflect responsibility and encourage cycles of victimhood, which in turn fuel antisemitic sentiments. Through the translation of essential Holocaust narratives and educational resources, Ideas Beyond Borders and the Program on Extremism aim to provide Arabic-speaking audiences with broader historical perspectives, fostering a space for open thought and critical engagement.
This initiative not only revives the tradition of knowledge exchange epitomized by Baghdad’s Bayt al-Hikma (House of Wisdom) but also lays groundwork for a more informed, empathetic, and self-reliant Arab youth equipped to engage with global narratives. Through this event and similar efforts, the Antisemitism Research Initiative expands its mission to counter antisemitism by building understanding, promoting tolerance, and bridging cultural divides in the Arabic-speaking world.