The Syrian representative in the Arab Reading Challenge Committee, Jamal Suleiman, said he sees the Arab Reading Challenge initiative “the most important thing that has happened in the Arab world in recent years, in order to encourage the Arab youth to return to reading.” He added that he recognized the size of the initiative after his participation in the program, "especially that the number of participants in the challenge is remarkable, coupled with the encouraging awards given to the outstanding, which reinforces the concept of reading we need to preserve our identity as well as human development for future generations."
Regarding his presence in the program jury, Suleiman said: “I received a call from the initiative, and I agreed immediately because I see it as a matter of interest to all of us, and I am happy to find in this work that serves reading.” In the field of theater and television, and in the field of teaching at the Higher Institute of Dramatic Arts, which made the language an important place in his work and daily life, pointing out that he presented many series related to the Arabic language, including «Tarfa bin Abdul,» «Saqr Quraish» and «Spring Cordoba» and «Kings of sects», a series of high-level language proficiency, in terms of acc Promising formation and pronunciation. Suleiman explained that language has always been one of the tools of his expression as an actor, and «this created a loving relationship and love between me and the Arabic language is a very beautiful language», explaining that «Actor who is not able to Arabic lacks a lot, and discover this in trying to express himself, As well as when it is offered representation in classical language, because the language is not only rules but aesthetic form, and who did not read the most important literary books difficult to express himself ».
Soliman considered «the existence of a special program to challenge the reading to serve the promotion of reading, the relationship between man and writers has been declining since 30 years remarkably, and this is sad», pointing out that «the initiative is trying to restore a good relationship between young people and writers», stressing the importance of promoting it and providing models Through the media of the broadest spectrum of youth and parents, who wish their children to be part of the competition. The Syrian artist stressed that «despite the many away from reading, there are bright aspects in the Arab world, has been highlighting positive models through the program», and expected Suleiman «the existence of some kind of infection, and will inspire many children and parents, and push them to read».
Suleiman pointed out that “there are many important entertainment programs that have provided wonderful talents throughout the Arab world, but we must highlight the knowledge aspect, and celebrate the youth and children who have made progress in knowledge competitions, because changing the behavior of society for the better requires providing an inspiring model. The importance of linking the initiative with the media, and on an important station, a big step in the right direction, we can not promote all the good ideas unless we use the media in an interactive and attractive and attractive », and a member of the jury of the Arab Reading Challenge Program that« entertainment programs have a mass Cultural programs, but that does not mean that the latter does not have an audience, and can expand the segment of this audience, and over time we call more people, the issue depends on the provision of knowledge and cultural content in an attractive way to serve him through advertising, it promotes a large educational programs ». "The media carries national responsibilities, and the issue is not always calculated in a utilitarian and superficial way that is related to the number of viewers, praising the knowledge competitions in the West, which enjoys a wide audience and is followed by millions and big prizes, because it depends on mastering its industry and good promotion."
Suleiman considered that it is the duty of the jury to find the challenge for the contestant to push him to do his best, and «this using the method of inciting to provide the best, once encouraged and once challenged, because the contestants must know that knowledge and culture is an endless, and must be followed by man no matter what It was his level », he pointed out that sometimes he used kindness and encouragement and sometimes there is a challenge to provoke them, but in return he was very happy with some of the contestants, because of their diverse and wide and amazing culture, and the diversity of books they read, while some have a culture but not diverse, and stressed However, he drew his attention that «a The female element is more active than the male element. Girls were more numerous, more informed, and more enthusiastic. “It seems that the future is for girls,” he joked.
He pointed out that there is a complex aspect in arbitration about what the young man has from the culture, and secondly the way he expresses it, sometimes having the ability to express is what makes the student win, the way of marketing ideas and expressing them is important, because we are educated to interact with society in our culture, in a way that interests others .
His main advice is to “recognize their distinction after reaching this stage among millions of children and young people, and to assume greater responsibility towards themselves, and this makes them characters who play a key role in society, the competition is not the end but the beginning of a long journey.”
Relationship to reading
The actor, Jamal Suleiman, started his relationship with books from a young age. He was 10 years old. He recalls: “My father was keen to possess culture, and there are many books that have made a difference in my life because of the nature of my profession. As a social phenomenon, and how he found art, and evolved from school to school transformations of economic and social, in addition to the study of theater, and my actor prompted me to read a very large amount of plays ». As for the writers who influenced him, Suleiman pointed out that he was influenced by William Shakespeare, he is a great writer and influential in the view of life, and the novel «Crime and Punishment» by Dostoevsky, and Andalusian realist literature, and Naguib Mahfouz and how he reflected social disparities in Arab society, as well as Latin literature, He has a strong relationship with Mutanabbi, Amal Dunqul, Mahmoud Darwish, Pablo Neruda, Lorca and others.