
In a literary evening that defies the heat of Cairo’s summer with the breeze of creativity, Bayt el-Hekma for Culture will host a special symposium at 7:00 PM today, Wednesday, July 30, 2025, to discuss the young adult novel “My Father, the Mapmaker”, in the presence of its author, Ashraf Aboul-Yazid. The discussion will be moderated and enriched by the insights of critic Dr. Mohamed Maher Bassiouni, and will take place in the library hall of the publishing house at 174 Tahrir Street, Abdeen, Cairo.
This gathering promises to be an exceptional meeting of minds, bringing together writers and artists who have come to engage with this new literary work. Among the featured speakers are: Fouad Morsi, short story writer, novelist, researcher, and Editor-in-Chief of Al-Qissa (STORY) magazine, Mohamed Okasha, visual artist, poet, and writer, Tarek Abdel-Wahab Jadou, fiction writer, novelist, and literary critic, and Walaa Khalifa, the visual artist and illustrator of the novel, whose artwork adds a parallel visual dimension to the book’s imaginative narrative.
The novel’s resonance has extended beyond Egypt to the wider Arab world. During the event, video and audio testimonies will be presented from nine distinguished Arab writers and critics, who offer their reflections on this unique literary journey. They include: Dr. Hanan Awwad, poet, researcher, and President of the PEN Club in Jerusalem (Palestine), Dr. Eman Beqai, academic and expert in children’s and young adult literature (Lebanon), Basma Al-Khatib, novelist and short story writer (Lebanon), Hani Nadeem, poet, journalist, author, and traveler (Syria), Nuha Swaid, writer and film critic (Syria), Adel Khuzam, poet and short story writer (UAE), Khaled Suleiman, Egyptian short story writer and critic residing in Tunisia, Dr. Hassan Humeida, children’s author (Sudan – Germany), and Tarek Al-Omrani, writer and critic of children’s literature (Tunisia).
“My Father, the Mapmaker” was published earlier this year during the 2025 Cairo International Book Fair. Aimed at young readers, the novel weaves an intellectual and emotional adventure that blends imagination and knowledge through tightly-crafted storytelling. It explores profound themes of geography and identity, fatherhood and authorship, maps and dreams.
At the conclusion of the event, attendees will have the opportunity to meet the author and illustrator, have copies of the book signed, and engage in conversations—a moment of connection between the reader and the makers of new worlds.