Friday 15/November/2024 – 07:15 AM
Getting ready Minya Governorate During these days to host the Egyptian Writers Conference, where the conference bears the name of the great writer Gamal al-Ghitani in its 36th session in the Bride of Upper Egypt in 2024, as he is a prominent symbol in contemporary Egyptian literature.
An exciting literary journey
Gamal Al-Ghitani was born in 1945 in Sohag Governorate, and began his literary career in the 1960s, leaving a rich literary legacy. Al-Ghitani began his working life as a painter, then moved to journalistic work, before fully committing to literary writing.
Al-Ghitani’s works are distinguished by their historical and social depth, and through them he was able to draw vivid pictures of Egyptian society in various eras. Among his most prominent fictional works are: The Chronicles of Al-Zaafarani Lane, Al-Zaini Barakat, and Al-Rifai. He also presented many collections of short stories that were admired by critics and readers alike.
A pioneering role in the cultural movement
Al-Ghitani’s role was not limited to literary creativity only, but he had an effective role in the Egyptian and Arab cultural movement. He participated in many cultural conferences and seminars, and assumed the editorship of Akhbar Al-Adab magazine, which contributed to spreading cultural and literary awareness.
Al-Ghitani received many awards and honors for his prolific literary production, most notably: the State Encouragement Award for Novel, the First Class Order of Merit, the Franco-Arab Culture Award, and the Sheikh Zayed Book Award.
Al-Ghitani passed away in 2015. The Arab world lost one of the most important pioneers of literature, but his literary and intellectual legacy will remain immortal, and his selection as a character for the 36th session of the Egyptian Writers Conference was a well-deserved honor for this great writer.
