Building bridges of communication

As part of its preparation to hold the first Arab-Turkish poet and literatis forum, the Turkish capital is hosting the events of the Syrian Literature Days from June 28 to June 29.The event is organized by the Euro-Asian Writers Union, the Turkish Arab Association for Science, Culture and Arts (TASCA) and the Arab Writers Union in Damascus. A Syrian bookfair of the main Arab Writers Union in Damascus will be held on the sidelines of the forum.These events are meant to contribute to pushing cultural relations forward between Turkey and countries in the Arab world, especially Syria as relations between the two friendly countries, according to Muhammed Adil, Founder and President of the TASCA, have recently witnessed a significant progress. The two countries have established a strategic partnership on many levels to better serve peoples of both countries, and the whole region in general.Adil told Saudi Gazette that many literary figures from both countries will take part in the forum.Participants include head of Euro-Asian Writers Union Yaqoub Uglu, head of the Arab Writers Union in Damascus Hussein Joma’ah, Head of TASCA Muhammed Adil, head of Euro-Asian Writers Union for Middle East Abdul-Haleem Asfour, poets Fadia Ghaybor, Nizar Al-Marjah and Mohammed Al-Fahd, literatis Zuhair Jaibor, Khaled Al-Barad’e and Awadh Saud Awadh and the critic Murad Kasouha.Adil revealed that the organizing committee is planning to hold a scientific forum about Arab intellectuals’ image of the Turks. TASCA was started by a number of Turksih and Arab elite academicians, journalists, intellectuals. They took initiative to found the TASCA due to their strong belief in the importance of historical and cultural ties that bind the peoples in Turkey and Arab world.“Their senses of responsibility towards their people and their homes have made them establish this association to break the psychological barriers and remove the imaginary walls between the Turks and the Arabs,” Adil said. He added that the association also aims to make a solid ground for building new bridges of communication and cultural and strategic cooperation in various areas, particularly areas of science, culture, arts, media and civil society. “This cooperation will be away from any ideological reluctant templates, with the emphasis on full respect for the people’s and countries privacies, and making cultural diversities a mark of distinguishing the Turkey and the Arab world,” Adil said.