L’Expression: Culture – “The goal is to write a book about Oran…”

A vast local cultural program has been drawn up to support the Mediterranean Games which were held from June 26 to July 6, 2022 in Oran. Among these activities organized by the cultural commission placed under the patronage of President Salim Dada, is a literary residence with international resonance.
Indeed, placed parallel to the 19th edition of the Mediterranean Games, this literary residence supervised by the novelist Samir Kacimi was held in the city of El Bahia from June 26th and ended on July 5th.
Several internationally renowned writers from around the Mediterranean took part in this residency, including writers who have won numerous prestigious awards. “The purpose of this residency is to write about the city of Oran. Each writer had a theme and a subject to deal with,” Samir Kacimi told us during our stay in Oran.
The residency lasted about 15 days. It will result in numerous texts which will form a book which will be published by ANEP. The latter will be published in November on the occasion of the holding of the next edition of the Algiers International Book Fair.

Fifteen writers participate
Among these participating writers, we will mention the Tunisian Chokri Mabkhout Arab Booker Prize, Tarek Imam of Egypt who figured for his part among the short-list of the Booker Prize, but also Amin Zaoui, Ziad Abdullah, Rabia Djelti, Tarek Emam, Bachir Mefti , Khaled ben Saleh, Khaled Seileman Al-Nasiri, Mustafa Hafid, Ilyes Hamcho, Ahmed Majdi Hammam, Nadjoua Baraket. This literary residence wants to be the first of its kind, being both Arab and Mediterranean, because it aims to write an impressionist literary work on the city of Oran, which is a joint book written by confirmed feathers.
Others from the northern shore of the Mediterranean who were unable to attend due to their schedules are also taking part in this residency. These come from countries such as France, Spain, Italy and Turkey in particular. These writers from the Mediterranean countries are translated into many languages. Each writer participating in this residency had a theme and a subject to deal with.

Oran from different angles of attack
“The goal is to describe a book that will be published by Anep editions. It will be released in November, coinciding with the forthcoming Algiers International Book Fair.
The themes chosen by Samir Kacimi as a kind of constraint to which the writers have complied, in particular the subject of the literary cafes of Oran, the sites of Oran, the popular districts of Oran…
At the end, the result will be a final text which will be made up of all of these previous texts, reviewed and corrected in a way like a musical rearrangement to make a single score. This heavy arduous task will fall to Samir Kacimi who will be brought to realize from all that will have been written during this residence “a coherent book.” And to raise: It is a work of literary editor. I have the experience in this direction, since I was already the central director of the Enag editions, but also editor for several Arab editions. There is a team that will help me in this direction.
All these chronicles will be brought together in the form of a single text. The names of all participating writers will of course appear on the cover of the book. I don’t have a specific title for this book yet. I have to read the texts before and choose after.” One thing is certain, a common thread will bring together all these writings.
It’s up to Samir Kacimi to do the editing. Can’t wait to read this book!