Travel literature
The symposium included many topics such as whether there an urgent need for travel literature in light of the proliferation of images; and how has travel literature been able to paint a collective image of humanity. The symposium also included various topics discussed by the female writers.
Dr. Saeeda Al Farsi emphasised that travel literature is extremely important, and contrary to what many believe, it is fading day by day. This is because images today play a better role than words, especially since images today are high-resolution, colourful, and vivid. Any caption on the image is sufficient and conveys the full truth to the viewer. However, this cannot be considered true, because travel literature is profound, enduring, and extends across time and space. It stems from diverse cultures and cannot be forgotten simply by the emergence of modern alternatives.
Dr. Sabah Issawi emphasised that travel literature is one of the most important forms of literature concerned with humankind. Some view it as a struggle between the self and the other, while others view it as a form of intermingling and rapprochement between peoples created to get to know each other and spread peace.
Travel literature usually presents an image of the other, which may be limited or imprinted on the writer's own consciousness, linked to their level of culture, and stemming from his environment. Consequently, it may be deficient or negative. Unfortunately, it has permeated through time and generations. For example, this includes the stereotypical image of the relationship between East and West. These images, imprinted on collective consciousness, exist, but there is great scope for changing them in several ways. Travel literature is one of them, and an opportunity to change view of the other and create a feature of the collective consciousness.
Ibn Zubayr
Regarding the most prominent examples of a comprehensive picture of travel literature, Dr. Nadia Hanawi stated the importance of travel literature, upon which other narrative forms that later spread were built. There are many examples worth mentioning, but the first and most important is the journey of Ibn Zubayr. He was the first to journey from Andalusia to Morocco and then Egypt. His journey lasted three years, and he chronicled his memoirs with the day, month, and year. Despite this, travel literature is not considered an accurate documentation of reality; it is ultimately a literary form that combines reality with the writer's imagination.
Ibn Battuta
Several decades after Ibn Zubayr's journey, the most famous journey among the majority was that of Ibn Battuta, which lasted nearly thirty years. He traveled across Asia, starting from Baghdad and reaching China. He documented his journey in his book "A Gift to Those Who Contemplate the Wonders of Cities and the Marvels of Traveling." Ibn Battuta is considered the prince of Arab travelers. Many important journeys followed, including, for example, the journey of Al Idrisi, the importance of which lies in the maps he drew of the cities he visited. The most important characteristic of travelers was their eagerness to share their experiences with others. This left an impact on Western travelers, who wrote and documented their journeys in the same way Arab travelers did.
Dedicated study for travel literature
Regarding the possibility of dedicating academic courses to teaching travel literature, Dr. Al Farsi emphasised the necessity of such courses because the most important feature of travel literature is the elegant, transparent, poetic, and distinctive language in which it is written, and the precise description and depiction of reality through words. This is especially true since most of those who write it are writers. The refined literary language is what gives this literature its literary character and immortalizes it, and from this language it derives its existence. She pointed to the Ibn Battuta Prize for Travel Literature, which is held annually and awarded by the Arab Centre for Geographical Literature - Exploring Horizons in Abu Dhabi and London. This award aims to establish the importance of travel literature.
Regarding the criteria for travel literature, Dr. Issawi emphasised that "Creative achievement is usually viewed as having specific characteristics, the most important of which is narrative. Although travel literature focuses on a specific aspect, it carries the artistic characteristics of the novel; in fact, it is considered the foundation from which novels are based." Therefore, its most important distinguishing features are the language, artistic style, and descriptive elements. Readers of travel literature expect the writer to describe the place accurately, allowing them to imagine it as if they had actually visited it. The self-concept and the other expand or contract depending on the writer's perspective.
Dr. Hanawi also emphasised that despite the existence of travel literature for centuries, it has not played a role in breaking the stereotypical image of one people's view of another. Indeed, some literature has even perpetuated this view. However, she believes that the most important characteristic of ancient Arab travel literature was their lack of condescension toward others. Rather, they embraced them while being careful not to merge with them. Thus, they maintained their own ego and benefited from the experiences, ideas, and expertise of others. This stems from a perspective of tolerance, coexistence, and acceptance of others. She emphasizes that the presence of others is an essential element of travel literature, adding many new experiences, ideas, and experiences to it.
At the end of the symposium, the floor was opened for questions and discussions between the guests and the audience, which enriched the session with more fruitful ideas about travel literature.
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