Last evening, the Global Solidarity Network (Nasser Youth Movement – Swahili Department) organized the first session of “Global Solidarity Talks” titled “The Translation Movement in the Globalization of the Swahili Language,” in line with the celebrations of World Swahili Language Day. The event highlighted Egypt’s role in the African translation movement.
The session featured Dr. Alaa Salah Abdel Wahed, a lecturer of Swahili literature at the Department of African Languages and Literature, Faculty of Languages and Translation, Al-Azhar University, and a visiting lecturer of Swahili literature at the Faculty of Alsun, Ain Shams University.
The program was opened by anthropologist and international activist Hassan Ghazaly, who welcomed Dr. Alaa Salah and the attendees, announcing the launch of the first session of Global Solidarity Talks. He explained that this session is part of a series of Swahili-speaking sessions scheduled to be held weekly throughout July, celebrating the global significance of the Swahili language. He also invited the attendees to an important session scheduled for tomorrow, Thursday. Ghazaly emphasized that the Global Solidarity Network launched the program for the first time during the COVID-19 pandemic, reaffirming the necessity of human solidarity.
Ghazaly stated that the Global Solidarity Talks program continues the “Global Citizen Talks” initiative launched by the network in 2020. The program aims to promote dialogue and understanding among youth from diverse cultures and backgrounds worldwide and to create an open platform for discussion and intellectual exchange on global solidarity issues. It also offers Egyptian students studying languages the opportunity to practice their study language with native speakers from Asia, Europe, Africa, and Latin America. The program is set to organize numerous discussion sessions in various languages.
During the session, several key points were addressed, including the importance of language learning and translation as a vital tool for cultural and civilizational exchange among peoples. Dr. Alaa highlighted the role of Swahili literature in understanding the cultures of the region’s peoples, noting that literature serves as a mirror of society and a means to comprehend the psychology of populations. He pointed out that translating literary works, whether written or oral, contributes to strengthening the cultural, national, and African identity among Swahili speakers.
In this context, Dr. Alaa extended special thanks to anthropologist and international activist Hassan Ghazaly, founder of the Global Solidarity Network, for his significant efforts toward the African continent and his interest in promoting the Swahili language and celebrating World Swahili Language Day. He praised the efforts of the Nasser Youth Movement in promoting and supporting the Swahili language through training Egyptian university students studying the language in translation, organizing workshops, seminars, and events that contribute to the development of translators’ skills and knowledge. He also commended the efforts of the “Articles and Opinions” platform, which allows students to write articles in Swahili, enhancing their writing skills and intellectual contributions, and providing them with the freedom to express their opinions and ideas.
Dr. Alaa explained that the translation movement between Arabic and Swahili is highly rich, noting that the beginnings of translation were in Islamic productions from Arabic to Swahili, starting before the colonial period. He affirmed that the current translation movement is flourishing and in demand across various fields, attributed to the widespread use of the Swahili language and the active translation movement.
The session was moderated by Mervat Sakr, a researcher and translator pursuing a master’s degree in African languages, specializing in Swahili, and the Swahili language coordinator for the official website of the Nasser Youth Movement. She was also awarded the National Translation Award in 2023.
It is worth mentioning that the Global Solidarity Network is a platform comprising 15 diverse projects, initiatives, and programs in media, culture, youth, leadership, and international relations. The network aims to enhance Egypt’s role and the concept of solidarity among social actors and young politicians globally, especially in the Global South. It also strives to achieve justice and democracy in international relations. So far, approximately 18,000 young people around the world have benefited from the network’s projects, which primarily work to promote values of peace, solidarity, and understanding among different cultures.
Yaovi AGBEGNIGAN
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