Ukrainian Scholar Olena Khomitska Told Sada El-Balad: Despite the War Conditions, the Translation Movement in My Country Is Ongoing and Active

In an interview with Sada El Balad English Website “SEE”, Olena Khomitska, a Ukrainian translator, researcher, and Arabic language professor, talked about the translation movement in her country despite conditions of war.

Dr. Khomitska expressed her happiness to be in Egypt to participate in several seminars on the sidelines of the Cairo International Book Fair, noting that she came to take part in a seminar as part of the cultural program at the fair. She emphasized that despite the difficult circumstances and challenges brought about by the Russian attacks on Ukrainian territories, there are translators and publishing houses that continue to work and enrich both the Arabic and Ukrainian libraries with literary works.

The professor of Arabic Language and Literature and Translation at Taras Shevchenko National University in Kyiv participated in a seminar dedicated to celebrating the centennial jubilee of the Ukrainian magazine "Vsesvit," which is the oldest and most important journal in the field of literature and literary translation of world literature.

Dr. Khomitska affirmed that this magazine has played a significant role in introducing the Ukrainian reader to Arabic literature in general, and Egyptian literature in particular. A century has passed since its establishment, and it has published translations of prominent Arab and Egyptian writers and poets, including (Youssef Al-Seba'i, Naguib Mahfouz, Hafiz Ibrahim, Tawfiq Al-Hakim), among many others, as well as numerous writers from other Arab countries.

Regarding her participation in the book fair, the Ukrainian scholar stated that this was not her first time at the event. The first occasion was in 1990 when she was a student attending a month-long training. She then visited Egypt again as either a translator or as a trainer for Ukrainian students who came to Cairo to train in the Arabic language and familiarize themselves with Egyptian culture.

Dr. Khomitska added that she also visited the Cairo International Book Fair after it moved to its new location in 2019, where she attended several seminars during that edition. She regards this fair as one of the most important book fairs in the world and expressed her immense happiness for the opportunity to visit the fair this year. Additionally, she participated in a seminar at the Writers' Union and met a group of creators, writers, and poets, as well as attended a seminar in the tents of various participating publishing houses at the fair.

Regarding the study of the Arabic language, Dr. Khomitska spoke, stating that the learning of Arabic is in high demand among students in Ukraine, having commenced at the beginning of the twentieth century. Its teaching as a core specialty began in the 1990s, covering various academic degrees, including bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs. Additionally, there exists a specialized institution for Arabic language studies, known as the School of Oriental Languages.

She added that she is keen on visiting the Cairo International Book Fair to explore the latest books, where both Arabic and international publishing houses participate, showcasing the newest literary works.

Concerning the translation movement, Dr. Khomitska mentioned that there is a significant literary translation movement from Ukrainian to Arabic and vice versa, which is experiencing growth and prosperity. She added that she is working on other collaborative translation projects contributing to the dialogue between cultures and civilizations. She noted that many translations have been published in Egypt recently, with nine works—comprising novels and short story collections—having been translated.

She mentioned that she translated a book by the Ukrainian poetess Lesia Ukrainka, who visited Egypt in the early twentieth century and is the author of the poetry collection "Spring in Egypt." Ukrainka was greatly enamored with Egypt, and this admiration is reflected in her poetry. Additionally, she wrote a novel titled "Iqbal Hanem," which she did not complete as she passed away in 1913.

Furthermore, she explained that she translates contemporary works and children’s literature, such as the book "In a Loud Voice, In a Low Voice... Whispers," which was published in the United Arab Emirates. She also participated in the translation of various stories in collaborative projects with her colleagues. 

Olena Khomitska

Olena Khomitska

Olena Khomitska with SEE Editor-in Chief and other staff members