Within the "Art of the Book" series of events, and in collaboration with the French Embassy in Qatar/Institut Français, join us in this lecture presented by Slimane Zeghidour, a writer and chief editor at TV5MONDE, on the history of Arab printing in Europe. 

The Middle East invented writing and the alphabet. It created the civilization of the book. However, the East was the last region in the world to adopt the printing press. Why was there such a delay?

The history of Arab printing in Europe is testament to the profound cultural exchange between East and West. It began during the 11th and 12th centuries when Arabic texts started to be brought to Europe through trade and travel. The first book printed in Arabic characters appeared in Italy in 1514 but it was not until the 18th century that the printing press found its way to the East, specifically to the Arab and Muslim world. 

What impact did this have on the relations between the East and West? This cross-cultural exchange paved the way for future advancements in printing and scholarly pursuits. 

Date: 6 June 2023 

Time: 5:00 - 7:30 PM

Language: Arabic, with English simultaneous interpretation

Target Audience: Public 

Seats are limited, please click the button below to register.