Al-Thawra celebrates 100th issue of “Book in a Newspaper”

Al-Ra’wi, Matsoura, and Abdul-Amir admire the results of their work.

There is an unfortunate lack of appreciation for books and reading in the Arab world. Poets and novelists lack large readerships, even in their home countries, as it is only the minority who turn to books for entertainment and enlightenment.  To remedy this, 10 years ago UNESCO helped launch the “book in a newspaper project” across the Arab world.  

The “book in a newspaper” is a literary supplement inserted into large daily newspapers that includes poems, artwork, and stories by famous Arab writers. Each issue is dedicated to a particular writer or poet. About 2.5 million copies have been distributed over the past 10 years. The project, which just celebrated its 100th supplement on Dec. 25, was initiated to give the public, access to the most important artistic and literary works of literary figures in the Arab world. 

The supplement began publication in Beirut 10 years ago, but only came to Yemen in 2000. This is not because of the geographical distance between Beirut and Sana’a or a lack of enthusiasm for the project, said Naji Ali al-Ra’wi, chief editor and chairman of al-Thawra newspaper, which carries the supplement. “The main factor is that the officials (in Yemen) at that time needed some time to overcome the crippling cost of printing the book, and then join the great Arabic newspapers in the year 2000. The delay was due to circumstances beyond their control, despite their enthusiasm and motivation.” 

The creation of the supplement, which is funded by UNESCO and the MBI Foundation, was not easy. Editors faced the censorship of some materials, and many Arab countries deleted things. But Yemen is the only country that published the supplement exactly as it was written, said Shawqi Abdul-Amir, general supervisor of the “book in a newspaper” project in the Arab world. Many intellectuals, writers, and scholars have supported this project, which is the first of its kind in the Arab world. 

Abdul-Aziz al-Maqaleh, Advisor to the President, Director of the Yemen Center for Studies and Research, was the first person who encouraged me to start printing ‘Book in a Newspaper’ every month and distribute it as a gift to the readers of al-Thawra newspaper,” said al-Ra’wi. “It became our monthly tradition, which distinguished this newspaper from others in the capital.”  “The project continues today with great success, and is engaged in the cultural battle to increase reading in our social life. The number of books borrowed from libraries in the Arab world is no more than one person out of 300,000 people, according to the latest statistics,” he said. 

“The amount of papers used up in the Arab world for the printing of books does not exceed the consumption of one known European publishing house. Arab writers are not publishing more than 3,000 copies of their new books.  This project has become a tool for the flow of the Yemeni springs to the Arabian ocean in general,” said al-Ra’wi. “Our problem as Arabs is the absence of respect for books and reading,” said al-Maqaleh. “And such a project will inspire writing and make it a usual habit, like food and sleep. It is an essence of cultural knowledge which will not be forgotten by the Arab nation.” 

A birthday cake for the book.

“It is the only project which combines the Arab world in a real way, and not metaphorically. We are talking about unity in a metaphorical way but there are no united cultural stories as the ones we find in a book in a newspaper,” said al-Maqaleh. “On every first Wednesday of each month, Arabs meet each other in an Arab unity. It is a project engaging all Arabs from all sides.” UNESCO has approved this project to also take place in Latin America and Spain, calling it periolibros, an Italian word that means the monthly book, said Abdul-Amir. “The manager decided to launch the project in the Arab region in 1996.

This project has succeeded due to the solidarity of major Arab newspapers, and here I single out, thank, and salute the large and important role played by Al-Thawra newspaper.” “We salute this remarkable effort, which has tried to serve a noble goal,” said Hasan al-Lawzi, Minister of Information. “The three newspapers, al-Thawra, al-Gomhoria, and 14th of October, will print and publish this cultural book at a very nominal price, as president Ali Abdullah Saleh promised in his election program.

“We are proud to see the participation of great Yemenis like the poets Abdul-Aziz, al-Maqaleh, the late Abdulla al-Baradoni, and writers such as Zaid Mote’e Dammaj and Mohammed Abdul-Wali in such cultural work. We regret the lack of opportunity given to Yemeni painters though, except Fuad al-Fteh,” said al-Lawzi. “There is no doubt that the advantages of the electronic book are many, but traditional books retain their value and prestige.”  “We announce today our satisfaction with the celebration of the book and 2.5 million copies skimmed by thousands of hands in the Arab world,” said al-Ra’wi.

“And I believe that all my colleagues, chief editors of major newspapers in the Arab press who are responsible for the monthly issuance, are determined to continue as long as UNESCO is eager to continue this project and there is still support for such a project from people like Sheikh Mohamed Bin Issa al-Jaber, chairman of the MBI Foundation. They deserve all the thanks.” At the 100th issue celebration, held by the al-Thawra Establishment for Printing and Publishing, al-Lawzi honored H.E. Mr. Koichiro Matsuura, Director General of UNESCO, with a medal to express great thanks.   

The celebration was followed by a seminar entitled “Freedom of the Press in the Arab World,” in which a galaxy of Arab and Yemeni scholars, intellectuals and professionals participated.   “Every month, the supplement is promoting dialogue between civilizations, distributing and disseminating knowledge to a wider group of people in the Arab region at no financial cost,” said Matsuura. “I am happy to join you for the ceremony of the 100th issue of the ‘Book in the Newspaper’ project. 

“I would like to express my gratitude to all the newspapers’ editors-in-chief who supported the project,” said Matsuura. “They have played a leading role in its success.  “The evolution of this regional initiative has been amazing during the last 10 years. We ought to look at this achievement as the first in the Arab region in terms of the importance, and the number of books distributed and the active participation it has generated.” 

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