THE Eastern, which represents Arabia, mingled with Islamic Civilization, and Western intellectual exchanges that was based on tolerance but badly affected by the “Clash of Civilization” talk has been made alive through reprinting of a number of books in German about the East.
The project running within the series known as “Documenta Arabica” is sponsored by the Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammad Al Qasimi.
There are so far “about 30” titles about Arabian Peninsula and the Muslim world in general written in German and published by the Hannover based publishers, Georg Olms Verlag.
Sheikh Sultan has been a friend for many years with our head, Dr. Georg Olms and they decided to embark on these very important cultural and academic discourses,” said Sarah Umlauf.
The titles that make Documenta Arabica were selected by “well-known orientalists and librarians”, and thanks to the benevolence of Sheikh Sultan, these treasures have been made available again as reprints of high quality.
Georg Olms stand which is adjacent to Al Qasimi Publishers in Hall 1 in this ongoing 30th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) at Sharjah Expo exhibits dozens of titles about the Eats, Arabia and Islamic world.
It is also here where copies of Sheikh Sultan’s book, “My Early Life” (MeineFruhenLebensjahre) are found. We brought 20 copies of which 16 have been sold in four days,” said Samia Abdul Hamid.”
“We brought titles that have inclination to the East, and some of them like books about horses or history about Oriental trade and pattern design (art) are selling fast,” she added.
In the shelves, are hard covers with titles such as “Authentic Arabia Horse Names” and besides it is a portrait of Sheikh Sultan and Dr. Georg caressing a horse.
“It is a gift to from Dr. Georg to the Sheikh thanking him for his sponsorship of Documenta Arabica among other literally works.
“You know the Sheikh loves horses too much and Dr. Georg breeds them, “said Sarah.
We have ever, a compilation of summarized books in Documenta Arabica have been all bought by Sharjah Public Bookshop.
Sarah said of the few days they have been here, they have found out that there are many German expatriates who have lived here for long “and they have bought books for their kids to teach them German and English. I’m glad we brought a number of copies of that material.”
Documenta Arabica series will stands for bridging the cultural gap and a sense of apprehension between the East and West.
“To the people of the past, the Arabian peninsula was the distant, impenetratable land of incense and gold. Even though the historians, geographers and travelers of the Islamic high middle ages recorded many things of interest about their land and people, these descriptions in Arabic remained inaccessible and alien to Westerners,” read an introduction to Documenta Arabica.
“In times like these, with the term ‘Clash of Civilizations’ haunting the media and with the Orient and Occident constantly drifting apart in their political and religious convictions, the common roots of their rich cultures should be remembered.”
In one of the sessions held daily in SIBF conferences, an Egyptian former Member of parliament, diplomat and a thinker, Dr. Mustafa Al Faqee took ajibe at a “growing elements in the West that portray us [Arabs] in five bs: Billionaires; Bedouins and not stable and therefore we do not deserve what we have; Belly dancers; that we love Bargaining on everything, and now that we are Bombers.”
He said that these negatives have to be transformed “and this Sharjah experience of cultural development is poised to change such stereotypes.”
“Culture plays a big role in modern relationships. It destroys barriers and helps bring together global human beings.
“I am sure the Westerners do not understand us and we do not understand them as it should be. If the cultural gap is closed through things like academic exchanges, marriage and globalization, then doors of a better future are opened.”
