The book, Cánic - The Legend of a Hero from the Maya - was presented in the presence of Dr Rasha Saleh, director of the National Center for Translation.
Mexico was represented at the event by Héctor Ortega, minister plenipotentiary and chargé d’affaires of the Mexican Embassy in Egypt, alongside several academics, translators, and cultural figures.
Ortega emphasized that literary translation is an important tool for promoting cultural understanding between people, noting that the translation of Cánic into Arabic opens the door for readers in Egypt and the wider Arab world to access Mexican literature.
He explained that Cánic was chosen for its universal themes related to identity, memory, and dignity. Ortega also praised the National Center for Translation’s role in supporting translation projects, as well as the efforts of translator Mohamed Gomaa Tawfik and the members of the jury for the third edition of the Mexican Literature into Arabic Translation Competition: Professor Khaled Abbas and Professor Khaled Salem.
The event was moderated by Ali Abdel-Latif.
During the event, preparations were announced for the fourth edition of the Mexican Literature into Arabic Translation Competition. The book A Drop of Water by Mexican author Vicente Leñero was selected for translation in the upcoming edition. The initiative aims to strengthen cultural relations between Mexico and Egypt and underscores the importance of culture as a means of dialogue and rapprochement between peoples.
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