thesilkroadtoday
26.04.2026
The international roundtable “The Happiness of the Peoples of the World in Fairy Tales” was held as part of the Tunis International Book Fair on April 24, 2026. The event was organized by the Assembly of the Peoples of the World, the representative office of Rossotrudnichestvo in Tunisia, and the Tunis International Exhibition Company, with the support of the Tunisian Association of Teachers of Russian Language and Literature. The event formed part of the Days of the Assembly of the Peoples of the World, which are taking place in the Republic of Tunisia from April 23 to 29.
The roundtable was moderated by Margarita Al (Russia), President of the World Organization of Writers, Chairperson of the Literary Council of the Assembly of the Peoples of the World, and poet.
Key topics of discussion included:
The role of the folk tale in shaping worldviews, ethical and family values, and concepts of happiness in different cultures;
The strengthening of intercultural dialogue through literary and educational initiatives.
The roundtable featured the following speakers:
Ashraf Dali (Egypt) — poet, writer, translator, Vice President of the World Organization of Writers, Chair of the Union of Journalists of Asia and Africa;
Fouad Hamdi (Tunisia) — educator, writer, public figure;
Marina Volkova (Russia) — Head of the Happiness Department of the Assembly of the Peoples of the World;
Heikel Hadden (Tunisia) – writer;
Anna Matveeva (Russia) – writer.
In her speech, Marina Volkova provided a detailed account of the project “A Fairy Tale in Each of Us,” revealing the unique importance of the fairy tale as a tool for nurturing a harmonious, socially active, and happy personality. Her talk included sharing successful experiences in implementing socio-cultural and educational initiatives in various countries.
Great interest was aroused by Ashraf Dali’s presentation, “Translating Fairy Tales as the Path to Happiness: Overcoming Linguistic and Cultural Barriers,” which was devoted to the role of professional translation in preserving cultural heritage and building ties between peoples. Also remarkable was Fouad Hamdi’s report “Tunisian Fairy Tales and Their Role in Passing On the Values of Happiness to Future Generations.”
The contributions of Heikel Hadden and Anna Matveeva enriched the discussion with new perspectives on the role of the fairy tale genre in national cultures.
In the second part of the event, Margarita Al led a lively discussion in which the participants shared memories of their favorite childhood fairy tales and reflected on the happiness that comes through acquaintance with this genre. Special engagement came from students studying Russian language and literature, for whom the meeting became a true incentive to deepen their knowledge and become better acquainted with the cultural heritage of Russia and the Arab world.
— The international dialogue confirmed that the fairy tale remains a universal cultural code, capable of uniting peoples in their striving for happiness, justice, friendship, awareness, and peace, — noted the event organizers in their summary.
