Looking back at Samira Azzam — a forgotten star of Arab literature

Looking back at Samira Azzam — a forgotten star of Arab literature
A new English-language book of the late Palestinian writer’s short stories aims to earn Samira Azzam acclaim. (Supplied)
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Updated 16 February 2023
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Looking back at Samira Azzam — a forgotten star of Arab literature

Looking back at Samira Azzam — a forgotten star of Arab literature
  • A new English-language book of the late Palestinian writer’s short stories aims to earn Azzam deserved acclaim

DUBAI: Samira Azzam was one of Palestine’s greatest female authors of the 20th century. And yet she is relatively unknown today — her work in radio broadcasting, short-story writing and journalism largely forgotten. 

Born in 1927 to a middle-class Christian family in the coastal city of Acre, Azzam became a school teacher when she was just 16 and contributed to the local newspaper while still a teenager (under the pseudonym ‘A Girl from the Coast’). Azzam, who taught herself English through a correspondence course, also translated the writings of George Bernard Shaw, John Steinbeck, W. Somerset Maugham, and Edith Wharton into Arabic. 




A new book consists of 31 short stories by Azzam. (Supplied)

One reason why her name is not widely known today is due to her premature death at the age of 39 in 1967. Shortly before her 40th birthday, Azzam was on a summer road trip to Amman with friends to interview war refugees. She suffered a heart attack and died in the car.  

During her short lifetime, four collections of her Arabic short stories were published. She did begin work on a novel, but ended up destroying it as the political situation in her homeland worsened.  

“Azzam has not yet received the accolades she deserves,” the literary critic Faisal Darraj once claimed. But that situation may be changing with the arrival of “Out of Time,” a new book consisting of 31 short stories by Azzam, which have been translated into English by the Egyptian translator Ranya Abdelrahman. Published by ArabLit Books, the book was launched at the Emirates Literature Festival in Dubai in February. 




Egyptian translator Ranya Abdelrahman. (Supplied)

“I felt it was a huge responsibility to be translating Samira Azzam’s work. I really wanted to do my best to bring her voice into English,” Abdelrahman tells Arab News. “I found her stories really strong and compelling. On the surface, they’re about ordinary things happening to ordinary people, but her characters are so vivid and alive. There’s often a twist that leaves you thinking. Her work really spoke to me. I was hooked.”  

In the 1940s, during the Palestinian exodus, Azzam emigrated to Lebanon, where she became an active member of Beirut’s dynamic literary scene. Acclaimed by her contemporaries, Azzam’s work was featured in prominent magazines including “Al-Adab” at a time when print media was flourishing in the Arab world. She also recited her stories on the radio and travelled to Cyprus and Iraq as a journalist.   

Azzam, Jabra Ibrahim Jabra and Ghassan Kanafani are widely considered to be the trifecta of modern Palestinian fiction writing. “There are three names there, and hers is the only woman’s name. That is telling,” says Abdelrahman, adding that Kanafani, who was assassinated in Beirut in 1972, referred to Azzam as his “teacher” and wrote a moving tribute to her after her death.  

In the 70 or so short stories that she wrote, Azzam painted a picture of the rich and poor in Levantine society.  

“She writes about a diverse array of subjects. She talks about loneliness, aging, grief, hypocrisy, and technology,” says Abdelrahman. “She has this vital sensitivity. She’s able to put herself so well into the shoes of other people of different ages and different walks of life. If you take all her stories together, it’s like a mosaic of the human experience.” 

Short-story writing was popular in the 1950s for a number of reasons. “Short stories lent themselves very well to distribution. They could be read out loud on the radio. They could also be published in newspapers and as collections. They could easily reach the hands of readers,” explains Abdelrahman.  




For the publishers of “Out of Time,” it was important to try and raise awareness of Azzam’s brilliance as an author.  (Supplied)

But in the early 1960s, novel writing came to the fore, hailed by critics as the true test of an author’s creative abilities. In 1967, the year of the third Arab-Israeli war, Azzam was working on her ironically-titled novel “Sinai without Borders.” But only the first chapter was ever published. She destroyed the rest, possibly out of frustration and sadness at the violence in Palestine. 

For the publishers of “Out of Time,” it was important to try and raise awareness of Azzam’s brilliance as an author.  

“We hope that this is a small contribution towards bringing Samira’s work back, both to general readership and academic scholarship. Her stories are accessible but also profound. I would love to see them on an Arabic literature syllabus,” says Abdelrahman. “Our hope is that we’re bringing these stories out of a different time into our own time.” 


Diriyah launches young storyteller competition

Diriyah launches young storyteller competition
Updated 03 October 2023
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Diriyah launches young storyteller competition

Diriyah launches young storyteller competition
  • The second Rawi Diriyah contest, for middle and high school students, aims to promote the rich culture and heritage of Saudi Arabia
  • Registration for the event, organized by the Diriyah Gate Development Authority and Ministry of Education, is open until Nov. 14 

RIYADH: Young storytellers of the future in the Kingdom are invited to help celebrate the culture and heritage of Saudi Arabia by entering the second Rawi Diriyah competition.

The contest, organized by the Diriyah Gate Development Authority in partnership with the Ministry of Education, is open to middle and high school students. It runs until January 2024 and registration for prospective entrants will remain open until Nov. 14.

“The Rawi Diriyah competition aims to showcase and promote the rich culture and heritage of Saudi Arabia through the art of storytelling,” organizers said. “By preserving stories about Diriyah and Saudi Arabia, the competition contributes to the preservation of these narratives for future generations.”

The competition aims to promote Saudi culture among the nation’s youth, they added, and encourage a new generation of storytellers to uphold Diriyah’s heritage, in keeping with the goals of the Vision 2030 national development and diversification plan.

As such, the competition is designed to honor the area’s rich history and heritage while nurturing the development of storytelling skills among young people, providing them with valuable life skills and fostering a sense of community.

“These middle and high school students mean so much to us,” said Jerry Inzerillo, the CEO of Diriyah Gate Development Authority.

The inaugural Rawi Diriyah competition, launched in late 2020, attracted the interest of 250,000 students. The entries were whittled down by judges to 12 finalists who told their stories of historic Saudi figures, characters and traditions at a showpiece awards event set against the scenic backdrop of historic At-Turaif.


Dutch DJs Basicz and NoTune to ‘pull out all the stops’ at Freaks of Nature in Riyadh 

Dutch DJs Basicz and NoTune to ‘pull out all the stops’ at Freaks of Nature in Riyadh 
Updated 03 October 2023
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Dutch DJs Basicz and NoTune to ‘pull out all the stops’ at Freaks of Nature in Riyadh 

Dutch DJs Basicz and NoTune to ‘pull out all the stops’ at Freaks of Nature in Riyadh 

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s homegrown boutique music festival Freaks of Nature is back for its latest edition this weekend in Riyadh.   

Set to take to the stage at the two-day open air music festival are Dutch DJs Basicz and NoTune, returning for the second time to perform in the Kingdom.  
“Our last visit to Saudi Arabia was an absolute blast. The warmth and hospitality we received from the people there were incredible. We're really looking forward to experiencing that again. Moreover, being a part of this concept that's shaping the music scene in Saudi Arabia is not just exciting, it's an honor. We're genuinely thrilled to play a role in shaping the future of music culture in this country,” said the duo in an e-mail interview with Arab News.  

The two DJs – who also have robust careers as solo artists – enjoy the collaborative process of working with each other.   

“Collaborating has been a ride. Since the early days of our careers, we've been creating music together. It's been an amazing journey that's allowed us to build a unique musical connection,” said DJ Basicz.  

“When we're in the studio or up on stage together, it's like we have this unspoken understanding that makes the creative process flow effortlessly. It's not just about making music, it's about pushing each other to new heights. We challenge ourselves to explore uncharted territories and blend our strengths to craft a show that's not just diverse but also emotionally resonant.”  

While NoTune tends to gravitate towards the darker and more adventurous side of techno music, DJ Basicz likes to explore the industrial and raw aspects of the genre.   

“We've realized that our diverse approaches let us serve up a rich and layered experience for our audience,” said DJ Basicz.  

For their upcoming show at Freaks of Nature, taking place over Oct. 5 and 6, DJ Basicz and DJ Notune are “pulling out all the stops.”  

“We are curating a set that not only fits seamlessly with the other talented artists on our stage but also promises to take the crowd on a wild ride. We're throwing in a few surprises and that signature energy that's become our trademark. It's going to be a unique experience, a musical journey that you don't want to end,” they said.  


Mona Zaki walks L’Oreal show in Paris as Saudi Model Roz looks on

Mona Zaki walks L’Oreal show in Paris as Saudi Model Roz looks on
Updated 03 October 2023
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Mona Zaki walks L’Oreal show in Paris as Saudi Model Roz looks on

Mona Zaki walks L’Oreal show in Paris as Saudi Model Roz looks on

DUBAI: Egyptian actress Mona Zaki this week walked the sixth edition of L’Oreal’s Le Défilé Walk Your Worth show during Paris Fashion Week.  

Zaki, who is a brand ambassador for the label, wore a hot red mini dress that featured a high neck and a long train attached at the waist as she graced the runway at the esplanade of the Eiffel Tower.  

Zaki walked alongside a celebrity lineup that included Kendall Jenner, Elle Fanning, Eva Longoria, Dame Helen Mirren, and more. 

Saudi social media influencer Model Roz, who was in attendance, took to Instagram to share Zaki’s fashion moment on her Stories. “Mona Zaki and Coco Rocha killed it,” she wrote.  


Freaks of Nature festival brings international DJs to Saudi Arabia 

Freaks of Nature festival brings international DJs to Saudi Arabia 
Updated 03 October 2023
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Freaks of Nature festival brings international DJs to Saudi Arabia 

Freaks of Nature festival brings international DJs to Saudi Arabia 

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s electronic music festival Freaks of Nature is returning to Riyadh this weekend from Oct. 5 to 6. 

The two-day event, organized by Saudi creative agency Disrupt, will feature international artists including Belgian DJ and record producer Lost Frequencies, techno house legends Agents of Time, Grammy-nominated electronic music artist Nic Fanciulli and Danish DJ Morten.

The CEO of the event Yazeed Al-Hashim, chief disruption officer at Disrupt Group, described the festival to Arab News as a “crazy and quirky friend that always makes you have a great time. Imagine these qualities and personas as a full experience.”

Al-Hashim said: “Freaks of Nature is not only a music festival. We think about it as an immersive experience where everyone comes to hear great music, feel really special and have a wholesome experience that transcends through visuals, special effects and dancers. We want to create a new entertainment concept that is not only seen in Saudi but also internationally.”

A number of Saudi and regional talents will also take part in the festival including DJ Mubarak, Aziz.wav, KALI-B, Hamza Hawsawi, and Timba JD.

Al-Hashim initially launched the festival to give artists and DJs, like himself, a platform to share their music with a crowd. 

“Freaks of Nature originated from giving local artists an opportunity to play on big stages with full, amazing production. So, we’re happy we have some of the most established local artists such as Dish Dash, for example,” Al-Hashim said. 

“We also have artists that are playing for the first time in front of a public crowd in this event. So, we created this environment where we can select artists based on passion and love for music. Then we do everything, all the marketing and branding, for all the artists. So even the opening artists get their own flags, their artworks, and they get their whole set recorded.”

The CEO said that this helps boost the artists’ presence and gives them content to share online. 

Freaks of Nature will also take place in Amsterdam on Oct. 22. 

“The Riyadh event is our flagship event. That is our core business. Our participation in Europe is for us to showcase the brand to the international music community,” Al-Hashim explained.

“Amsterdam Dance Event is the biggest music conference and festival in the world, where the whole city turns into a music festival and everyone from the music industry travels to Amsterdam and that where they do their business for a year.

“So for us, it was really essential to show the international music community the Saudi entertainment scene as well as Saudi local artists.” 

Al-Hashim said that six local artists will present back-to-back sets at the Amsterdam festival. The artists will get paired up with their international idols and play the sets with them, he added.


Saudi couturier Mohammed Ashi nabs spot on BoF 500 list

Saudi couturier Mohammed Ashi nabs spot on BoF 500 list
Updated 03 October 2023
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Saudi couturier Mohammed Ashi nabs spot on BoF 500 list

Saudi couturier Mohammed Ashi nabs spot on BoF 500 list

DUBAI: Saudi designer Mohammed Ashi, founder of Paris-based label Ashi Studio, this week became the first designer from the Kingdom to be included in the BoF 500 list, the Business of Fashion’s index of the people shaping the fashion industry.

The label took to Instagram to share the news, writing: “Ashi is honored to be the first Saudi designer to enter the #BOF500 … thank you @imranamed @bof for being included in the class of 2023 alongside the creative leaders in the fashion industry.” 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Ashi Studio (@ashistudio)

Ashi launched his eponymous house 17 years ago.  

The Arab designer’s garments have been worn by countless A-listers in the past, including Beyonce, Cardi B, Lady Gaga, Celine Dion, Demi Lovato, Fergie and Ava DuVernay.

Ashi previously told Arab News: “I incredibly proud of my Saudi roots … my designs are often influenced by Saudi heritage.”

Middle Eastern designer Rami Al-Ali also joined Ashi on the list and became the first Syrian designer to be included.