In an atmosphere brimming with cultural dialogue and future-oriented vision, Abdel Razek Okasha, founder of the Darna Museum, artist, critic, and novelist, met today with three prominent academics from the Department of Arabic Language at Farook College, University of Calicut – Kerala, India: Dr. Abbas K. P., Dr. Abdul Jaleel M., and Dr. Mohamed Abid U. P., alongside Ashraf Aboul-Yazid, poet, novelist, and coordinator of the First Afro-Asian Literary Forum.
This meeting laid the groundwork for a founding committee tasked with planning the second session of the forum, within the framework of a major cultural project aimed at enhancing the presence of literary and artistic representatives from Africa and Asia. It was agreed that invitations for the 2025 session would begin in October, with the forum to be held annually starting April 18, spanning three days of rich intellectual and creative activities.
Merging Literature and Arts: A New Vision
The discussions highlighted the importance of integrating literature and arts within a contemporary cultural landscape that transcends traditional barriers between different forms of creativity. Participants emphasized that the complexities of today’s human reality require creators to possess multiple tools for expressing the self and society, making the convergence of word, color, and other art forms more urgent than ever.
Symbolic Gifts and Cultural Exchanges
The meeting was enriched by the exchange of symbolic gifts. Ashraf Aboul-Yazid presented the Darna Museum library with a children’s album inspired by the Tatar poet Abdullah Tukay, reinforcing the idea of intergenerational and intercultural creative convergence. Meanwhile, Abdel Razek Okasha gifted his guests from India a new visual artwork that blends poetry and painting, part of his artistic series themed around “The Train”.
Translation Projects and Cultural Cooperation
Ashraf Aboul-Yazid shared details of his latest translation project, “The Lake Bride and the Golden Comb” by the Tatar poet, which he translated into both Arabic and English. This marks his third translated work aimed at fostering cultural dialogue among Arabic and international readers.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Abdel Razek Okasha proposed establishing a cultural cooperation protocol between the Darna Museum and the University of Calicut, encouraging the exchange of ideas and creative projects, and solidifying the concept of collaborative cultural work based on dialogue, openness, and shared vision.
Additionally, Ashraf Aboul-Yazid, Secretary-General of the African Journalists Conference, invited the visiting scholars to contribute articles to the Conference Magazine, a monthly publication in Nigeria edited by media professional Michael Adeboboye.
Toward a Flourishing Afro-Asian Cultural Horizon
This gathering, with its rich exchange of ideas and visions, lays a strong foundation for the second session of the Afro-Asian Literary Forum, which organizers hope will evolve into a permanent annual platform celebrating cultural diversity and opening new horizons for collaboration among creators, researchers, and critics across the two continents.
