The Department of Culture and Tourism has announced the re-launch of the project series "Pioneers of the Orient", which includes the publication of three parts of the book "The Arabian Gulf through the texts of travelers and Portuguese explorers", to be issued more books in the series in the coming period.

Researchers considered that the literature of the trips and writings of Western and foreign travelers to the Arab Mashreq still needs more research study of its various aspects, considering during the sessions of the seminar «Pioneers of the East - Western Travelers and Arabia», organized by the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi for two days, and concluded its work yesterday evening In the Cultural Complex in Abu Dhabi, the different objectives that have been behind the arrival of Western travelers to the region do not diminish the scientific, historical, archaeological and literary importance of their discoveries, and the role they played in the history of the region's ancient and modern, such as the discovery of cities Rich, such as Petra and decoding cuneiform.

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Heritage researcher Dr. Hamad bin Saray called for studying the writings of Western travelers to read critically to take advantage of what they left out of science, even if some of them misunderstood the conditions of the Arab countries, explaining in his talk about the features of the Arabian Peninsula in the interests of Western travelers, with a focus on the journey of travelers Charles Huber, the fact that some travelers have the experience and keenness to follow the correct methods in copying rock paintings and inscriptions and archaeological writings in the region has made their work a scientific character, and made it a source of scientific study, and enabled them to move by local means of transport to identify the people of the region and take notes The writers did not depend on the drawings and archaeological discoveries, where they documented the agricultural ingredients, prevailing crops and methods used, water sources and dams, and described local industries and sources Natural, as well as drugs, medicines and treatment methods, besides trade, most notably the trade of incense.

The Saudi critic and researcher Dr. Saad Al-Bazai addressed the impact of the writings of Western travelers in English literature. II and others, the influence of travel literature in creativity increased with its prosperity in Europe at the turn of the nineteenth century.

An ambitious project

The researcher Dr. Ahmed Abish talked about the project "pioneers of the Orient" launched by the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi in the summer of 2008, a cultural heritage series reflecting the interest of the Department of heritage as a source of pride for the UAE and its people, explaining that the first book was entitled At the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair in 2009, while the number of publications of the project so far reached 54 books, some of which have been reprinted and achieved a wide spread in the region, and a large readership, stressing the Department's determination today to return strongly to publish a new range of publications in the series, including The book «Arab Gulf in the texts of travelers and wa Portuguese historians », which was released in three parts, is expected to be up to nine parts.

The Russian scholar Anna Safinig, in her presentation, reviewed aspects of the journey and life of Russian traveler Avanasi Nikitin, the first Russian traveler to visit India and the Arabian Gulf in the fourteenth century, and recorded a lot of information about it in his book, and this information included political systems, social life, economic activities and customs Tradition and fashion differ from region to region, and from class to class.

Women Travelers

The seminar discussed the topic of “Representations of Traveler Women in the Arabian Peninsula” in a session attended by the German historian and researcher Dr. Frauke Heard Bay, the UAE writer and historian Dr. Fatima Al-Sayegh, the Japanese Academy and the Japanese translator Dr. Kaoru Yamamoto. The sessions concluded with a session titled “Review of Personal Journeys”, with the participation of Zaid Al-Rifai from Kuwait, the first Arab to climb the Everest Summit; Syrian poet Nuri al-Jarrah, and the Italian traveler and researcher Eros Baldsera, led by Dr. Hana Subhi.

• Trip books are a window for writers and poets to see peoples and countries they have not seen.

• Different objectives behind the arrival of Western travelers, does not diminish the importance of their discoveries.