The Mexican embassy in Egypt has announced the second edition of its translation competition dedicated to Mexican literature, in collaboration with the Egyptian Ministry of Culture, in a spirited celebration of cross-cultural cooperation.

The ceremony, held on 11 August at the National Centre for Translation (NCT) in the Cairo Opera House, aimed to promote Egyptian translators, showcase the richness of Mexican literary works, and strengthen cultural ties between the two nations.

Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim Owaida emerged as the top prize winner, receiving $1,000 for his exceptional translation. The competition attracted 150 participants and resulted in 18 complete translations.

The event, launched in January at the Cairo International Book Fair, underscores the growing interest among Egyptian scholars and enthusiasts in Mexican literature.

Owaida’s winning translation is of El Dragón Blanco y Otros Personajes Olvidados (The White Dragon and Other Forgotten Figures), a collection of short stories by the acclaimed Mexican author Adolfo Córdova.

The book reimagines secondary characters from classic children’s literature as protagonists in their own stories and won the 2015 Juan de la Cabada Fine Arts Award for Children’s Stories. This prestigious award, named after Mexican writer Juan de la Cabada, honours exceptional contributions to children’s literature and celebrates storytelling that engages and inspires young readers.

Córdova’s work, which retains the essence of the original tales while adding fresh narratives, was praised for its powerful and insightful storytelling. 

Source: https://english.ahram.org.eg/

Full article: https://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/18/63/529016/Books/News/Egypt-celebrates-Mexican-literature-through-transl.aspx