18 June 2019
“Knowledge Transfer” Project Has Translated 30 Books Since its Inception, It aims at the intellectual and cultural exchange between Bahrain and the World
Knowledge Transfer can be described as an “ Exceptional Cultural Exchange Project”, which was launched in 2014, aiming to translate 50 books, given the need to transfer universal knowledge culture and open up on different civilizations. The project was initiated by intellectual and Tunisian sociologist, Dr. Tahar Labib, and was endorsed by H.E Shaikha Mai Bint Mohammad Al-Khalifa to enrich to enrich the Arab library with knowledge and humanities.
Indeed, “Knowledge Transfer Project” has so far succeeded to translate 30 books, supported by The Bahrain Authority for Culture & Antiquities to fill the need for the transfer of human knowledge in a conscious, well-planned, and sound way. Moreover, openness to various forms of knowledge and other civilizations is something for which Bahrain and its people have long been known for. It is in fact an integral part of its social and cultural history. This project, in effect, serves as an affirmation for deep-rooted Bahraini values, as well as an invitation to exchange knowledge and expertise, and engage in inter-cultural dialogue on an international scale.
Dr. Tahar Labib, Director of “ Knowledge Transfer Project” says that : “ This project aims to contribute to transfer of world knowledge to Bahrain, and vice versa, through translation, as well as expertise exchange of talented young researchers, Arab and Europeans, in fields such as humanities, sociology and arts. The project also aims to enhance dialogue between cultures and showcase the cultural and intellectual openness of the Kingdom of Bahrain”.
Dr. Labid also added that translation of these books is implemented according to the proposals presented by the project Advisory Committee, made of a group of renowned experts from Bahrain, Tunisia, Syria, Hungary, Lebanon, Belgium and France, who generally discuss books and dictionaries to develop a list of books to be translated into Arabic in the fields of social sciences, art, history, philosophy, communication technology , literary criticism and discourse analysis.
Worth to say that the “Knowledge Transfer Project” aims to the focus on encouraging objective and rational thinking in intellectual matters and historical and social phenomena, helping to decipher the enigma of arts and wander into their secret worlds. The list includes important dictionaries of international renown publications, such as the “Oxford Companion to Philosophy” and “The Story of Art by E. H. Gombrich of which more than 7 million copies have been printed and is currently in its 16th edition.The following titles have been published so far, Think: A Compelling Introduction to Philosophy, Les Langues du Paradis, Les Grecs ont-ils cru à leurs mythes ? Essai sur l’imagination constituante, La Psychanalyse: Science, Thérapie et cause, Les trois écritures: Langue, nombre, code, The End of the World as We Know It: Social Science for the Twenty-First Century, Le temps en ruines, Einstein, Picasso: Space, Time, and the Beauty That Causes Havoc, Les Origines de la pensée grecque, A Social History of Media: From Gutenberg to the Internet, The Story of Art and The Logic of Writing and the Organization of Society.
Given that the “ Knowledge Transfer Project” is a comprehensive endeavor that does not limited to translation, it moved to another level of practical non-theoretical step, which involves live interactive discussions by hosting the Arab-European Forum for Young Researchers in Social Sciences 1st edition in 2015. The forum brought together a group of young Arab and European researchers from the Masters and Doctoral levels who wish to discuss and further develop their academic research projects by exchanging expertise, all under the supervision of qualified and experienced Arab and European researchers and university professors.
In 2016, the International Symposium: The Image of the Other: Intersecting Views was held on the sidelines of the project’s events. This symposium aimed to explore the perceptions, generalizations, and attitudes between different cultures and peoples, especially between Arabs and others, and thus identifying the cultural factors that impede real and reciprocal understanding, and to foster constructive dialogue between cultures predicated on a genuine desire to cast away these distorted perceptions, generalizations, and attitudes, to create a sincere wish to know the other. The event has been announced to a wide global audience and features around 60 researchers and university professors from over 25 countries which are: Algeria, Lebanon, Palestine, Tunisia, Jordan, Egypt, Morocco, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Iraq, Sudan, Greece, Italy, France, Switzerland, Burkina Faso, Germany, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Spain, Congo, Belgium, Cameroon, and Romania.
The Transfer of Knowledge project is a pioneer endeavor launched by Bahrain Authority for Culture & Antiquities to uplift the cultural action and upgrade intellectual movement into supreme level in the Kingdom of Bahrain, placing it on top of Arab and international cultural map. The last twenty books which have been translated, and other important dictionaries, are in latest stage of publication waiting to be released soon.
