thesilkroadtoday
Mexican writer and visual artist begins a literary and cultural tour of Egypt, bringing together poetry, ancient civilizations, mysticism and international cultural dialogue
CAIRO — Mexican writer, poet, editor and visual artist Marlene Pasini has arrived in Cairo for a cultural and literary tour that brings together literature, Egyptology, history and spiritual reflection. Her visit began with a meeting with Egyptian poet, novelist, journalist and cultural figure Dr. Ashraf Aboul-Yazid, with whom she discussed literature, international cultural cooperation and her participation in the Silk Road Literature anthology series edited by the Egyptian writer.
The meeting provided an opportunity to review Pasini’s contributions to the international literary project, which has developed over the years as a platform connecting writers and poets from different countries and cultural traditions. The Silk Road Literature series has brought together diverse thematic anthologies, including Asia Sings, Mediterranean Waves, Ancient Egyptians: Contemporary Poets, One Thousand and One Nights: World Poets, and Nano Poems for Africa, alongside literary and poetic projects engaging with Mongolia, Kalmykia, Buryatia and Xinjiang.
For Pasini, the project represents much more than an anthology series. She praised its ability to open a window for encounters among poets of the world, allowing different literary traditions to meet without losing their individual identities. In this sense, the Silk Road becomes not merely a historical route, but a contemporary cultural metaphor—one through which poetry can travel across borders, languages and civilizations.
The conversation between Pasini and Aboul-Yazid also addressed Cairo’s upcoming cultural programme, which will focus on her new book, Memories of Travel and Mysticism in Ancient Egypt. The September events will bring together literature, history, Egyptology and reflection on the spiritual heritage of ancient Egyptian civilization.
As part of his commitment to strengthening cultural and intellectual dialogue between Africa and the wider world, Dr. Ashraf Aboul-Yazid, Secretary-General of the Congress of African Journalists (CAJ), has invited Mexican writer, poet, editor, and visual artist Marlene Pasini to contribute a feature article to CAJ International Magazine, the English-language monthly publication issued in Nigeria and edited by Michael Ayodeji Adeboboye. The invitation reflects CAJ’s growing interest in creating a space where journalism, literature, art, and cultural dialogue can meet across continents. Dr. Aboul-Yazid expressed his appreciation for Pasini’s distinguished literary and artistic journey and encouraged her to share her reflections and experiences with the magazine’s international readership. Her contribution would add a valuable Latin American voice to the publication while opening a new cultural bridge between Mexico, Africa, and the wider international literary community. The magazine, under the editorial leadership of Michael Adeboboye, has consistently sought to bring together African perspectives and global voices, making Pasini’s participation a natural extension of its mission to promote dialogue, understanding, and cooperation through the written word
Two Cairo Evenings for the New Book
According to the programme announced for the events, the first presentation will take place on September 9 at 6:30 p.m. at Paradise Establishment for Culture and Arts on Emad El-Din Street, behind the El-Rihani Theatre and near Tahrir Square.
The event is being coordinated by Dr. Taghreed Fayad, President of the Lebanese-Egyptian Cultural Forum.
A second presentation is scheduled for September 15 at 6:30 p.m. at the Egyptian Cultural Club in Garden City, near the British Embassy and the Semiramis Hotel. The discussion will feature Dr. Hussein Bassir, Dr. Tarek El-Khouly and Professor Mohamed Aliwa, with coordination by Dr. Taghreed Fayad.
In addition, the Poet’s House in Cairo will host Pasini the day after tomorrow for an evening of poetry, where she will read from her work in the presence of prominent Egyptian media personality and writer Dr. Gamal El-Shaer.
A Journey Toward Ancient Egypt
The title Memories of Travel and Mysticism in Ancient Egypt captures two central dimensions of Pasini’s creative experience: travel as a movement across places and civilizations, and mysticism as an inward journey in search of meaning, symbolism and human memory.
For Pasini, Egypt is not simply an archaeological destination or a subject of historical investigation. It is a living cultural and spiritual landscape whose symbols, myths, temples and ancient wisdom continue to speak to the modern imagination.
Her academic background reinforces this perspective. Born in Mexico, Pasini studied Communication Sciences and Transpersonal Psychotherapy, holds a Master’s degree in Latin American Literature from Anáhuac University in Mexico City, and a diploma in Renaissance History. She also studied Egyptology and hieroglyphics at the Sophia Foundation in Mexico.
She is the author of 20 books across poetry, novels, historical fiction, essays and personal and spiritual development. Her literary works include Cristal del tiempo and El silencio es otra noche, while her broader creative practice combines writing with visual art and cultural research.
Pasini is also President of the Mexican Academy of Modern Literature in Mexico City, Cultural Director of IFCH in Morocco, and Cultural Advisor to the Fayad Cultural Forum, Egypt-Lebanon. Her international career has been recognized through numerous literary and artistic distinctions, including the Ibero-American Literature Prize, the Terekhov Poetry Memorial Contest award in Russia, the 2024 Literature Prize in Bengal, the Silver Medal from the World Organization of Writers for her novel The Dance of the Butterflies, and several international awards for her visual art.
Mexico and Egypt: A Dialogue Across Civilizations
In his preface to Pasini’s book, Dr. Hussein Bassir, Director of the Museum of Antiquities at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, describes the work as an encounter between the tangible and the invisible, the historical and the spiritual. He emphasizes that Pasini does not approach Egypt merely as a geographical or chronological reality, but as a living civilization whose memory continues to shape the human imagination.
Her September programme in Cairo therefore represents more than the presentation of a new book. It is an opportunity for Mexican and Egyptian cultural dialogue, bringing together two ancient civilizations through literature, art, history and the search for meaning.
Through Pasini’s eyes, ancient Egypt becomes not a closed chapter of history, but a continuing source of questions, symbols and inspiration. Through the conversations and literary encounters surrounding her visit, Cairo once again becomes a meeting point where cultures cross paths—and where the ancient Silk Road finds a contemporary voice in literature.
For Marlene Pasini, the journey to Egypt is simultaneously a return to an ancient civilization and an invitation to discover it anew: through poetry, through memory, and through the enduring language of human imagination.
