Olena Khomitska told Sada El-Balad that the cultural relations between Egypt and Ukraine are historically significant, dating back to the early 20th century when the Ukrainian poet Lesia Ukrainka visited Egypt for treatment.
During her stay, she wrote her poetry collection in Ukrainian, allowing Ukrainians to learn about Egypt through Ukrainka's poems and the letters she sent to her family and friends from Egypt between 1909 and 1915, which documented many details about the lives of Egyptians during that time.
Dr. Khomitska further elaborated , that Egyptian writer Mohamed El-Mokhzenji studied in Kyiv in the 1980s and experienced the nuclear disaster at the Chernobyl reactor. He later wrote the novel "Moments of Closing the Whale Island" and recorded his short story collection after that.
Khomitska mentioned that the Arabic language is not easy and requires significant effort to learn. She has been studying it since the 1990s, finding it a rich language with an extensive vocabulary that is incredibly beautiful, blending philosophy, mathematics, and music.
She explained that she translated novels written in Egyptian colloquial Arabic by the author Essam Rasem, including the novel "Al-Hakrob," and also translated the novel "She Looks Like She Traveled" by the writer Suha Al-Faqi. She noted that the Egyptian dialect is vast and rich in culture, adding that there are many translation projects and new ideas that need to be developed and brought to light.
Dr. Khomitska explained that translating from colloquial Arabic is a challenging experience, but she enjoys such challenges. She often consulted with Egyptian friends, as translation involves not just language but also complete culture and social details. She emphasized that there are many translations and novels that address global issues common to all peoples, making Ukrainian literature very accessible to Egyptian readers.
She expressed her happiness in studying Eastern languages, especially Arabic, having worked in translation since she was a student and visited many Arab countries. She pointed out that translations represent a form of dialogue and cultural exchange, serving to bridge gaps between peoples.
She stated that cultural communication and dialogue assist in fostering tolerance and understanding towards others. The National University of Kyiv, along with Cairo University, has played a significant role in training numerous translators and researchers through scientific cooperation and exchanges between the two sides.
She continued that the Ukrainian magazine "Vsesvit" published many translated Egyptian literary works during the twentieth century, particularly "Miramar" and "The Novel with No Beginning and No End," in addition to some writings by Abdul Rahman al-Khamisi, as well as short stories by Tawfik al-Hakim and poems by Hafiz Ibrahim. It also featured some artistic news related to Egyptian cinema and visual artists, such as the artist Tahia Halim. She pointed out that in recent years, novels by contemporary writers have been translated, and works by Egyptian poets are being published regularly.
Olena recounted how the magazine published a poem by Hafiz Ibrahim after a period of hiatus that lasted several years, as it resumed publication in 1958. Regarding the literature of Naguib Mahfouz, she expressed that she has read much of his work and truly admires him, calling him a global writer whose literature is distinctive in both novels and short stories, emphasizing that she appreciates his style and recognizes its significant value.
She went on to say that the literature of Naguib Mahfouz allows us to understand the history of Arabic novels and their development throughout the twentieth century, noting that there are both historical and contemporary novels reflective of that time
She underscored the need for the translation of his novels in Ukraine, such as the trilogy that has yet to be translated, while also highlighting the need for Egyptian readers to become acquainted with Ukrainian literature. Conversely, she stated that Ukrainian readers require an understanding of Egyptian and Arab literature.
She confirmed that "Echoes of Autobiography" has been translated but has not yet been published in Ukraine.
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