International Symposia on Major Authors
in the Muslim World

Literature in the Islamic World is one of the most important artistic endeavors.  Authors of important, often seminal, works are venerated throughout the broad geographic area making up the Islamic Community as well as over long periods of time.  The writers focused upon by the Library of Congress in its international symposiums have all contributed significantly to the Civilization of Islam.  Ali Shir Navayi showed the Turks of Central Asia the path forward into full participation in Islamic culture by establishing important genres in Chagatay, the literary language of the Eastern Turks.  Chingiz Aitmatov, a modern Kyrgyz author merged traditional motifs with social commentary to create a distinct modern Kyrgyz literature.  Amin Rihani was a major interpreter of the Arab World to Americans and American society to the Arabs.  Taha Husayn and his work, both scholarly and popular, opened new vistas to the Arab reading and scholarly public.  Jurji Zaydan in his famous novels and in his journalistic work reintroduced Islamic/Arab history to the general and scholarly public at the beginning of the twentieth century and thereby began the serious reexamination of their history by Arab scholars and the Arab public.

June 5, 2012	Jurji Zaidan	The Near East Section of the African and Middle Eastern Division,and the Kluge Center of The Library of Congress, and The Zaidan Foundation presented a Symposium. Jurji Zaidan: His Contributions to Modern Arab Thought and Literature Scholars from the Arab world, Europe and North America presented papers and discussed the life and work of the noted Arab novelist, journalist and publisher. (Morning session.) Speakers included Jens Hanssen (University of Toronto) Marwa El Shakry (Columbia University), Anne-Laure Dupont, Roger Allen (University of Pennsylvania), Zainab Ben Lagha, William Granara (Harvard University), Michael Cooperson (University of California/Los Angeles), Thomas Philipp (Erlangen University, Germany), George Zaidan (founder of The Zaidan Foundation), and from the Library of Congress, Roberta Shaffer, Jeremy Adamson and Mary Jane Deeb. View a Webcast of this Program (Morning Session) View a Webcast of this Program (Afternoon Session)

March 29, 2011	Ameen Rihani	The Near East Section of The African and Middle Eastern Division, The Library of Congress and The Ameen Rihani Institute presented a symposium on the 100th Anniversary of the First Arab-American Novel: AMEEN RIHANI'S THE BOOK OF KHALID The Library of Congress and the Ameen Rihani Institute presented a symposium on the 100th anniversary of the first Arab-American novel, Ameen Rihani's "The Book of Khalid." View a Webcast of this Program

March 23, 2010	Taha Husayn	The Near East Section, African and Middle Eastern Division, The Library of Congress and The Egyptian Embassy Cultural and Educational Affairs Office presented a symposium "Taha Husayn's Intellectual Legacy in the Arab World" Egyptian writer and scholar Taha Husayn (1889-1973) devoted his life to intellectual freedom and the introduction of Western learning into his country. His body of work, which focused on Islamic and Arabic history and literature, had a profound effect on scholarship in the Arab and non-Arab world. Scholars lecture on various aspects of Husayn's writings including his autobiography and the themes of Islamiyyat (Islamic Studies) and Arab enlightenment in Husayn's writings. Also discussed is Husayn as a pioneer in the discourse between the old and new Arab world. View a Webcast of this Program

December 4, 2008	Chingiz Aitmatov	The Near East Section, African and Middle Eastern Division, The Library of Congress, The Embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic to the USA and Canada, The American Councils for International Education and East European Medical Society, MN presented a Symposium on Chingiz Aitmatov’s Creative Work View Press Release

March 27, 2007	Ali Shir Navayi	The African and Middle Eastern Division of the Library of Congress and the Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan presented an international symposium on: Ali Shir Navoi and His Influence on theCultural Development of Central Asian Nations View Flyer in Pdf Format

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