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The Faculty of Al-Alsun concluded its cultural week under the theme: “Children’s Literature: Shaping Awareness through Language and Culture”, organized by the Cultural Relations Committee of the Postgraduate Studies and Research Sector. The event was held under the patronage of Prof. Mohamed Diaa Zain El-Abedeen, President of Ain Shams University; Prof. Amani Osama Kamel, Vice President for Postgraduate Studies and Research; Prof. Salwa Rachad, Dean of the Faculty; and supervised by Prof. Ashraf Attia, Vice Dean for Postgraduate Studies and Research, and Prof. Nehal Nagy, Chair of the Cultural Relations Committee.

The week’s activities concluded with two distinguished seminars on the second day, both of which saw remarkable attendance and vibrant discussions on writing and publishing for children.

The first seminar featured renowned children’s author Rania Hussein Amin, creator of the popular “Farhana” series, for which she received the Suzan Mubarak Award and the Cairo International Book Fair Award. She is also currently nominated for the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Award, often dubbed the “Nobel Prize for Children's Literature.” The seminar was moderated by Dr. Faten El-Ghazouly from the Italian Department. During the session, Amin discussed her dual experience as a writer and illustrator, emphasizing how her background in psychology strongly influences her literary work.

The second and final seminar, moderated by Dr. Nehal Nagy Sarhan, hosted Mr. Ali Kotb, writer, literary editor, and director of Bayt Al-Hekma Publishing House, alongside Ms. Nermeen Bahaa, a fine artist and children’s book illustrator. The speakers reflected on their experiences in children’s publishing, stressing the importance of harmony between content and visual presentation in creating quality children's literature.

The session also featured a research presentation by a PhD candidate from the Italian Department, comparing the works of Italian author Gianni Rodari and Egyptian writer Yaqub El-Sharouni, highlighting similarities and differences in how they approach themes of childhood.

The events concluded with a ceremony honoring the winners of the inaugural “Dr. Mahmoud Abbas Translation Award”, which this year focused on translating a story from “Waraq Al-Habib” (The Beloved’s Paper) by Dr. Mohamed El-Makhzangi. Winners received certificates of appreciation from the Cultural Relations Committee.

The rich discussions and active participation throughout both seminars underscored the success of the cultural week in emphasizing the crucial role of children’s literature in nurturing cultural and linguistic awareness in younger generations.