Maktoum Foundation to publish Arabic Narrative Encyclopaedia

Dubai, July 5, 2008 (WAM) - The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation yesterday announced it will publish the world's first comprehensive 'Arabic Narrative Encyclopaedia', exploring, analysing and documenting the Arabic literary genre.

The encyclopaedia, comprising seven volumes, will compile critical data on
the development stages of the narrative genre of Arab literature and portray
its salient features. The exhaustive body of work, scheduled for publishing
before 2010-end, will be produced in collaboration with leading Iraqi author
and researcher Dr Abdullah Ibrahim.

The foundation's research will also explore the evolution of the Arabic
narrative tradition through various periods of the region's literary
history. Beginning with the pre-Islamic era, the study will cover Arabic
narrative works extending over a period of almost 15 centuries. The project
also aims to highlight key features of both classical and contemporary
Arabic narratives.

Jamal Al Shehhi, Director, Culture Development, Mohammed bin Rashid Al
Maktoum Foundation, said, "Our target is to present a reliable reference for
scholars, researchers and the general readers with authentic information on
one of the important literary forms in the Arab culture.

The art of narration constitutes an integral element of the Arab cultural
heritage. Our objective is to acquaint the younger generation with the roots
of their literary heritage and motivate them to utilise it as an
inspirational source for scholastic excellence."

In its efforts to enrich the Arab literary world, the foundation is
currently pursuing various programmes such as 'Tarjem' that aims to
translate 1,000 international best-sellers into Arabic within three years,
and the Dubai International Poetry Festival to bring to Dubai more than
1,000 poets of international repute over the next five years.