Baku: Presentation Ceremony Held for the Azerbaijani Edition of Ashraf Dali’s Novel Shamawes

October 20, 2026
Source: Yeni Kitab – Literature News, Kultur.az

A presentation ceremony for the Azerbaijani-language edition of Shamawes, a novel by Egyptian writer, poet, translator, and former President of the Asia Journalist Association, Secretary General of Congress of African Journalists Ashraf Dali (Ashraf Aboul-Yazid ) was held at the Natavan Hall of the Azerbaijan Writers’ Union.

Organized by the Union’s Center for Literary Translation and Literary Relations, the event brought together figures from literature, science, and culture, as well as writers, poets, and media representatives.

The ceremony was hosted by Asad Jahangir, literary critic and chairman of the Center for Literary Translation and Literary Relations. After briefly introducing the event, he invited Chingiz Abdullayev, First Secretary of the Azerbaijan Writers’ Union and a distinguished national writer, to deliver the opening remarks. Abdullayev welcomed the guests and highlighted the significance of the occasion.

Jahangir then introduced Ashraf Dali’s Shamawes and invited Adile Nazar, the book’s editor and author of its foreword, who holds a PhD in Philology, to discuss the novel in greater detail.

In her address, Nazar outlined the novel’s content, literary characteristics, and the social and moral issues it explores.

The event was also attended by Professor Tariq Mohammed Aboul-Futouh, Director of the Egyptian Cultural and Educational Relations Center in Baku. In his speech, he emphasized the importance of literary and cultural relations between Azerbaijan and Egypt.

In recognition of their contributions to translating and publishing the novel in Azerbaijani, Professor Aboul-Futouh presented certificates from the Center to Terane Mammad, the translator, and Adile Nazar, the editor.

Translator Nariman Gasimoglu also addressed the gathering. As the author, Ashraf Dali, was unable to attend the ceremony, Gasimoglu recited selections from Dali’s poetry, presenting the poems in both Arabic and Azerbaijani in his own translations.

Among the distinguished attendees were Dr. Lutfiyya Asgarzade, Doctor of Philology and Associate Professor; writers Alabbas Baghirov, Meykhosh Abdulla, Latifa Oruj, and Gani Jamalzade; poets Rafail Taghizade and Yusif Naghamkar; distinguished journalist Zemfira Maharramli; journalist Leyla Khanim, originally from Kirkuk; and other prominent intellectuals.

One of the memorable moments of the ceremony came when Aygun Akinay, an artist and poet, presented one of her paintings as a gift to Professor Tariq Mohammed Aboul-Futouh.

At the conclusion of the event, Terane Mammad, who translated Shamawes from Arabic into Azerbaijani, shared her reflections on the novel, the translation process, and its publication. She also expressed her gratitude to the organizers and participants.

It is worth noting that the Azerbaijani edition of Shamawes was published as part of a project initiated by the Azerbaijan Writers’ Union’s Center for Literary Translation and Literary Relations. The project was conceived by Asad Jahangir, chairman of the Center.