The Qatari forum for authors streamed through the Forum’s YouTube channel and social media accounts the first session of “Kalemat” (words) initiative, Thursday night. The initiative is supervised and directed by writer Mona Babti, the member of the forum. Writer, Dr. Saleh Al-Tarawneh, novelist Samaher Al-Sayaida and journalist Shawkat Al-Batoosh from the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Qatari journalist Saleh Gharib were hosted in the session.
Ms. Babti introduces the initiative at the beginning of the session as a program that looks for different words that transcend all borders from Qatar to the world, and hence transform words into vast fields of development, cultural and social ideas. She then opened the floor for guests to introduce themselves and their fields of specialization.
Mr. Saleh Gharib, who participated in moderating the session, considered this initiative as an opportunity to build bridges of communication with writers, intellectuals and scholars from different Arab countries in order to share experiences and benefit from different experiments. The writer, he explained, sees things that other people can’t see while carrying noble messages according to his field of specialization. Social media and globalization, he indicated, have opened the way for words and ideas to travel through the world, and it became easy to reach any information and learn about the thought of other peoples. Culture that was the exclusive to certain peoples or social groups are now available to all. In the same context, he called on young writers to get more serious, address general subjects consciously, and avoid ridicule and mockery, especially in dealing with social and crucial issues.
Mr. Shawkat Al-Batoosh argued that the word, whether written or verbal is a means of expression, change, development and progress whether in mass media, social media, books and poetry collections. He transmitted through his writings, he continued, the compendium of his rich experience in life. In his writings, he noted, he focuses on addressing different segments of society through positive and meaningful messages, directions and constructive criticism. The defeatist tendency of some writers, he explained, came as a result of the social and political events they lived, however, authors should make their way, armed with principles, and their free pen and voice in order to go through the dark tunnel and find light at the end.
On his part, Dr. Saleh Al-Tarawneh stressed that the writer can convey a true vision that can be embodied on the ground and that the word can become a project and can actually affect the situation on the ground, provided that determination and will exist. The writer, he explained, should not be influenced by negative criticisms and shall not surrender to defeatism no matter what.
On her part, Ms. Samaher said that the cultural revolutions and intellectual changes in developed societies were led by writers and poets with the power of the word because writers have influence, and the pen has its power and influence on minds.
In the second section of the program, writer Mona went through the words that shined with the glow of the Qatari identity, where Dr. Saleh Al-Tarawneh emphasized that he is familiar with Qatari literature and that whenever he wants to escape from the bad times and the prevailing, non-responsible and provocative writings, he takes some doses from the writings of Qatari writer Dr. Mohammad Saleh Al-Masfar.
At the close of the session, guests read words from their favorite books that are dear to their hearts, and the writer Mona tried to look for the pivotal role of words through their reading, praising the significance of the writer’s role in shaping the future and reinforcing its pillars by spreading positivity, awareness, and the importance of responsibility among readers.
On the voice of the journalist, Shawkat Al-Batoosh, the session was closed with a smile, and a mix between words and love. Mr. Saleh Gharib culminated the conclusion with Qatari message of peace, with brotherhood and friendliness to readers everywhere.
Writer Mona mentioned that ‘noble words’ will arrive next week in Mesopotamia to set a new date with literature, poetry and culture, with a group of writers from Baghdad and the Qatari Forum for Authors will continue its cultural activities, as an incubator space for all cultural initiatives within Qatar and throughout the Arab world.