SALA showcases Sharjah's initiatives to promote Arabic in West

Milan, May 17: As part of the main events marking the opening of the "Arabic Language and Culture Festival" in Milan, Italy, organised by the Institute of Arab Culture at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart and sponsored by the Sharjah Book Authority, the Sharjah Arabic Language Academy (SALA) showcased the emirate's global efforts to support the Arabic language and promote its presence in Western academic circles.

The session highlighted Sharjah's scientific and cultural initiatives to enrich Arabic studies and research at international universities.

During a panel titled "Efforts of the Arabic Language Academy in Sharjah to Support Arabic in the West," Mohamed Safi Al Mosteghanemi, Secretary-General of Arabic Language Academy in Sharjah, emphasised that Arabic, as a bridge for intercultural dialogue, continues to be cherished by its native speakers and passionately studied by Orientalists and scholars in both Asia and Europe. These efforts, he noted, have translated into meaningful contributions that have helped establish Arabic's global standing.

Al Mosteghanemi discussed the "Language Immersion" initiative launched by the Academy under the guidance of Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.

The initiative brings academic delegations from global universities in Austria, Poland, Italy, and others to live among the people of Sharjah and engage with its cultural environment, thereby enhancing their linguistic skills beyond traditional classroom learning.

He also referred to the "Comprehensive Arabic Encyclopaedia" project, overseen by the Academy, stating that such initiatives embody Sharjah's vision of promoting Arabic as a source of knowledge and human connection capable of transmitting ideas and cultures across nations.

He also outlined five key foundations for developing linguistic mastery. First is continuous and mindful reading, which broadens knowledge and strengthens expression. Second is deep engagement with "instrumental sciences" such as grammar, morphology, rhetoric, and prosody, which provide learners with analytical tools. The third key, he noted, is the role of a skilled teacher who can instil a love for Arabic among both native and non-native speakers.

Al Mosteghanemi also stressed the importance of memorisation in Arabic learning, citing Quranic verses, prophetic sayings, classical poetry, and wise proverbs, as a fourth essential element. The fifth and final key is systematic training, both oral and written, through regular sessions that allow learners to use the language in varied real-life situations.

The festival spotlighted the presence of Arabic language and culture in Western contexts, addressing topics such as teaching Arabic to non-native speakers, updating grammar and rhetoric curricula, exploring Arab literature in the diaspora, issues of translation, and how Arabic texts are received in other languages, all tied to broader questions of identity and cultural integration. (ANI/WAM)

Reader Comments

Here are 5 diverse Indian perspective comments for the article:

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Rahul K.

Interesting initiative! India also has rich linguistic traditions that need global promotion. Maybe our cultural organizations can learn from Sharjah's model of language immersion programs. Sanskrit and Tamil deserve similar international attention 🇮🇳

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Priya M.

As someone who studied Arabic briefly, I appreciate these efforts. The memorization technique mentioned is similar to how we learn shlokas in Sanskrit. Language isn't just words - it carries entire civilizations within it. More power to such cultural exchanges!

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Arjun S.

While promoting Arabic is good, I hope they're also teaching about the scientific contributions from India that were preserved in Arabic texts during the Islamic Golden Age. Our shared intellectual history deserves recognition too.

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Sunita P.

The immersion program sounds amazing! We have something similar with Sanskrit villages in India. Maybe Sharjah and Indian institutions could collaborate? Arabic and Indian languages have influenced each other for centuries after all 🤝

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Vikram J.

Respectfully, while promoting Arabic is commendable, I hope equal emphasis is given to preserving local languages in the Gulf region. Many Indian expatriates there see their children losing touch with mother tongues. Cultural exchange should go both ways.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.