This year’s Saif Ghobash Banipal Prize for Arabic Literary Translation Lecture is given by the well-known Palestinian novelist, short story writer and film director, Liana Badr. This is a live online event where bookers will be sent a link in advance giving access and will be able to watch at any time for 48 hours after the start time. Attendees will be able to watch either an Arabic or English Language version of the lecture.

In her talk, Liana Badr describes how she grew up in the cosmopolitan atmosphere of Jerusalem, where welcoming strangers and visitors of whatever nationality or religion was an established tradition. The city was also home to a cultured elite, who celebrated the art of translation. She will talk about the diversity of writings, nationalities and people encountered in her early years in Jerusalem creating a rich mosaic, from which she learned valuable lessons about life and tolerance.