The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF) unveiled the ‘Arabic-German Translation Workshop’ during its participation at the Frankfurter Buchmesse 2025. This initiative marks a key milestone in the global expansion of its Dubai International Program for Writing (DIPW) initiative. The workshop aims to enhance the presence of Arabic books in the German knowledge landscape and bridge the gap between the two languages by translating selected Arabic works into German.
The launch of the workshop was attended by His Excellency Jamal bin Huwaireb, CEO of MBRF, alongside Stefan Weidner, a renowned German orientalist and one of the key figures active in Arabic-German translation, who will lead the training of a group of young translators to refine their translation skills. The event also drew a distinguished audience of individuals interested in literary translation.
H.E. Jamal bin Huwaireb said: “The workshop comes at a critical time, as there is a growing need for contemporary translation of Arabic works into German, amid the ever-increasing German interest in the Arab world. German knowledge of the Arabic language remains limited to a selection of translated heritage and literary works, or to individual translation efforts made by Arab authors. By developing the capabilities of new translators, we aim to expand Arabic-German translation using correct methodological foundations.”
H.E. added: “Through this initiative, MBRF continues to broaden its horizons by launching this workshop in partnership with an esteemed expert like Stefan Weidner. We are committed to equipping emerging translators with the skills needed to contribute meaningfully to DIPW, which has empowered more than 500 participants to date to enrich the Arab knowledge landscape. Many of these individuals have published influential works, some of which have earned prestigious literary accolades. We look forward to expanding into new languages, further strengthening the programme’s standing as one of the world’s leading structured literary training initiatives.”
Stefan Weidner said: “I am honored to join the trainers of DIPW and look forward to helping bridge Arabic and German literary cultures. In this workshop, we will select works from a range of knowledge domains to provide comprehensive training to participants. Our approach will be scientific—from choosing participants and selecting books to completing full translations—to showcase the outcomes at next year’s Frankfurter Buchmesse.”
DIPW focuses on cultivating talented writers across disciplines, including science, research, literature, fiction, and poetry, by offering a supportive environment that enables participants to reach global audiences. It stands as one of the most impactful initiatives in enriching intellectual and cultural movements, offering opportunities in areas such as creative writing, writer exchange, book criticism, children’s book illustration, and translation.
To date, DIPW has nurtured over 450 young creatives across diverse fields, including novels, short stories, children’s and youth literature, translation, and storytelling. Many participants have earned major literary awards, such as the Sheikh Zayed Book Award, the Emirates Novel Award, and the Al Owais Award for Creativity. Furthermore, some have contributed educational stories to learning platforms and school curricula. DIPW has enriched the Arabic literary world with over 200 published works and has also expanded its reach by conducting training programs across several Arab countries, including Kuwait, Jordan, Morocco, and Egypt.
