Shahrazad beyond the palace: women in the public sphere and their contribution to arabic language and culture

The fourth edition of the Festival explored the ways in which Arabic language, literature and the arts have been shaped by women’s presence in the public sphere. The programme addressed a wide range of questions: When did Arab women begin to enter the modern public cultural sphere - through education, journalism, literature, theatre, cinema, singing and music? What cultural environment did they have to navigate? How has women’s growing presence influenced contemporary Arabic? How has it transformed the image and symbolism of women in the collective imagination and in literary works? Has this transformation contributed to the expansion of women’s rights in Arab societies, or influenced the language of laws and constitutions?

The Festival also examined the linguistic and cultural barriers that continue to affect women’s full participation in society, as well as the possibility of identifying a distinct tradition of Arab women’s literature. If such a tradition exists, what distinguishes it linguistically and aesthetically from other forms of literary writing?

This edition also saw the launch of the Agorà of Arabic Books, a dedicated space run by the Italian-Arab publishing house Almutawassit, offering books in Arabic to Festival visitors. It also marked the beginning of the Festival’s collaboration with the Sharjah Book Authority, which has since supported its organisation and international development.