Paris marks world arabic language day

The Arab World Institute in Paris hosted an interactive evening with writer and poet Issa Makhlouf on the occasion of World Arabic Language Day, at the invitation of the Lebanese Embassy in France and Lebanon’s permanent mission to UNESCO.

Makhlouf spoke about the importance of the Arabic language and its global presence, stressing its historical contribution to the transmission of knowledge, culture, science, the arts, and medicine. He described language as “civilization,” noting that Arabic played a central role in spreading civilization. He then turned to the state of Arabic today, emphasizing that renewing the language is a “collective endeavor.”

He pointed out that the majority of contemporary publications in circulation today originate in non-Arabic languages, noting that between 80 and 85 percent of books featured at exhibitions and conferences are translations. This, he said, contrasts with a “severe shortage” in the translation of science, thought, and philosophy. He also criticized the quality of some translations, arguing that they are sometimes produced in an unprofessional manner that does not respect the principles of translation as a discipline.

In this context, Makhlouf cited a question posed by Jean-Paul Sartre — “Who reads philosophy?” — concluding that philosophical works should be translated by philosophers, philosophy students, and those deeply engaged in the field, as they understand its tools. He argued that the same logic applies to other disciplines.

Makhlouf also noted that humanity is living through a “transitional moment” no less significant than the discovery of fire, in light of the profound transformations imposed by technology on intellectual and cultural life, including artificial intelligence.

The evening concluded with an Arabic dictation exercise involving the audience. Makhlouf described the activity as “an homage to dictation and a tribute to it,” choosing a text by Ounsi al-Hajj about Fairuz titled “The Poetess of Silence.”