Egyptian writer Yachoub El Sharony who is one of the pioneers of children’s literature across the Arab world, is the personality of the year at the children’s exhibition of the 55th edition of Cairo International Film Festival ( CIBF).
The Supreme Committee of CIBF stated that El Sharouny was one of the most prominent pioneers of children’s literature in the Arab world, with his unique cultural project and a very prolific, diverse and influential literary productions.
Most of El Sharouny literature works were inspired by Egyptian folklore.
He was a creative writer who enriched the Arab library with hundreds of children’s works, leaving an eternal impact in the conscience of every Egyptian and Arab.
He wrote about 400 works for children, most of which were inspired by the Arab and Egyptian heritage, in addition to holding his monthly cultural salon at his home for children’s writers, to discuss works, ideas, or issues of children’s literature.
Dubbed the Egyptian master of children’s literature, El-Sharouny was born on February 10, 1931, in Cairo.
He obtained a Bachelor of Laws degree in May 1952.
Three years later, he passed a postgraduate diploma in political economy from Cairo University’s Faculty of Law, and obtained a similar diploma in applied economics from the same university in 1958.
El Sharouny also worked as a visiting professor who taught children’s literature at several Egyptian universities.
El Sharony was the main inspiration for a number of writers and readers from different generations.
In 2019, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Book Club has chosen
The Night of Fire novel by El-Sharouny as one of the best literary works that raises awareness of the fight against poverty.
El Sharouny was famous for his writing for children and young people; dozens of his books have been translated into different languages.
He has also been awarded many international prizes in recognition of his work.
In 2020, he was granted the Egypt’s Appreciation Award in Literature.
Besides writing books for children, El Sharouny also published dozens of studies on criticism of children’s literature.
The 55th edition of Cairo International Book Fair prepared a celebratory book about El Sharony titled “In the Love of Yacoub Al-Sharouny” which includes testimonies about the veteran writer from Arab and Egyptian writers as well as international writers and from Italy, China and India.
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