The Arabic language strengthens the close ties between Saudi Arabia and Spain
The King Salman Global Academy and Casa Árabe inaugurate the events of Arabic Language Month
On Monday, 21 April, the Casa Árabe Auditorium in Madrid hosted the opening day of Arabic Language Month, organised by this institution in collaboration with the King Salman Global Academy for the Arabic Language (KSGAAL).
- King Salman Global Academy of the Arabic Language
- Casa Árabe
- Embassy of Saudi Arabia
- Award ceremony
- Scientific panel
- Debate
This month will feature numerous activities related to the Arabic language, such as poetry and calligraphy competitions, training courses, and more.
King Salman Global Academy of the Arabic Language
Professor Abdullah bin Saleh Al-Washmi, secretary general of the King Salman Global Academy of the Arabic Language, thanked the authorities for their presence and spoke expressively about the language of his homeland: ‘When in cities such as Granada or Cordoba, people read books or newspapers in Arabic, or listen to a conversation on the telephone or in a personal encounter, I am very pleased to tell you that I come from the land where this language was born. A language in which poets continue to speak and sing.’
Al-Washmi explained that ‘Arabic is one of the six official languages of the United Nations. Muslims use it in their religion; Arabs use it in their culture. It is a language created by all those who spoke it well, which serves as a means of communication between experts’.
Regarding the relationship between Arabic and Spanish, the head of the KSGAAL emphasised that ‘Arabic is a great language, like Spanish, with an ancient lineage and great growth. We believe in the links between us: language brings us closer together.’
Al-Washmi concluded his speech by recalling that Arabic Language Month events have been held in different countries in previous years: ‘This year it is being celebrated in Spain and we have activities planned in Madrid, Cordoba and Granada, with meetings between teachers, students and specialists. This programme runs parallel to the programmes we implement in more than 30 countries around the world.’
Casa Árabe
On behalf of Casa Árabe, its director general, Ambassador Miguel José Moro Aguilar, thanked the authorities attending the event for their presence and, in particular, Professor Al-Washmi and the Saudi Arabian ambassador to Spain.
"Today we are celebrating the diversity and richness of the Arabic language at a particularly important time in relations between Spain and the Arab countries, especially Saudi Arabia. This relationship stems from the royal courts of both countries,’ explained Moro Aguilar.
The director of Casa Árabe recalled that ’there are a large number of Spanish companies and professionals working in Saudi Arabia, including leading companies in sectors such as infrastructure, energy, water and urban development. The number of tourists and investments from Saudi Arabia in Spain is also increasing.
The diplomat also referred to the common history between Arab and Spanish culture, with milestones such as the Toledo School of Translators, created in 1128, which was attended by translators from all over Europe who wanted to translate texts into Arabic; the trilingual chair established at the University of Salamanca in 1381 and later established by other universities such as the University of Seville; and the Arabic chair established by King Charles III in San Isidro El Real, then the cathedral of Madrid, in 1770.
The director of Casa Árabe recalled that Arabic is the official language of 25 countries and is spoken daily by more than 300 million people, making it the fifth most spoken language in the world. ‘learning Arabic is a very important asset for diplomats and businesspeople, and at Casa Árabe we have been promoting the study of this language for more than 15 years, with a steady increase in the number of our students, who currently number more than 440’.
Embassy of Saudi Arabia
The Saudi ambassador to Spain, Princess Haifa bint Abdulaziz Al Mogrin, pointed out in her speech that ‘the Arabic language is one of the oldest and richest in terms of its lexicon, and serves as a vehicle for cultural diversity and for extending ties between peoples and cultures. The Arabic language has served to give words to philosophy, beauty and art throughout the centuries.’
With regard to the teaching of Arabic, the ambassador said that ‘it is our duty to protect and promote this language. Let us remember that thousands of words of Arabic origin are still present in the Spanish language today. Arabic Language Month is a celebration of knowledge and learning, a service to diversity and an invitation to discover a language that continues to unite millions of people. We hope that this month will provide us with an opportunity to strengthen cultural ties and build a more prosperous, transparent and culturally aware future together.’
Award ceremony
The welcome ceremony was followed by the award ceremony for the finalists and participants in the speech, narrative and calligraphy competitions held last March.
The awards ceremony was preceded by the screening of a video on the Arabic language by the King Salman Global Academy for the Arabic Language. The awards were presented by the head of the Academy, Al-Washmi, the director general of Casa Árabe and the Saudi ambassador.
The ceremony was enlivened by the Spanish guitar of Antonio Carrión Serrano who, in a brief speech in Arabic before his performance, expressed his gratitude to the Academy and noted that his time there had been a very distinguished experience.
Scientific panel
Next, Dr Saad Al-Qahtani, head of the Education Sector at the KSGAAL Academy, gave a speech entitled ‘The efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in teaching Arabic to non-native speakers’.
The next part of the day consisted of a round table discussion entitled ‘Teaching Arabic as a foreign language: challenges and realities’, moderated by Hatim Bouazza Touil, professor of Arab and Islamic Studies at the Rey Juan Carlos University.
The participants were Pedro Buendía Pérez, professor of Arab and Islamic Studies at the Complutense University of Madrid; Ignacio Gutiérrez de Terán, professor of Arab and Islamic Studies at the Autonomous University of Madrid; and Dr Hanan Almalki, from the KSGAAL.
Debate
After a short break, the conference concluded with a debate moderated by Saida Chermiti, head of the Arabic Language Centre at Casa Árabe, with the participation of two experts from the KSGAAL: Dr Ali Al-Hathloul and Dr Faisal Al-Harbi.
Ali Al-Hathloul spoke about bilingualism and the challenges of teaching Arabic to non-native speakers, and Faisal Al-Harbi discussed the use of technology in teaching Arabic and identifying the best tools and applications available.
