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Elif Shafak cautioned against complacency when expressing solidarity with those suffering in Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine.
Speaking at the launch of the Frankfurt International Book Fair in Germany, the Turkish author – renowned for her bestselling novel The Forty Rules of Love – remarked on how escalating violence in those countries can, in part, be attributed to growing public fatigue and apathy towards enduring conflicts.
“The moment we stop talking about what's happening in Gaza, in Ukraine, in Sudan, that’s when we lose our humanity,” she said. "The only emotion that really, really frightens me is the absence of all emotions, which is numbness and apathy. And I believe this world we are living in will become a much more dangerous and broken place if this age of angst were to become an age of apathy.
"The moment we stop caring, the moment we stop writing and the moment we stop talking about what's happening in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan today, is the moment we become desensitised and indifferent."
She notes that literature and authors can play a role in galvanising people or warning them against injustice and promoting coexistence. "Writers cannot stop wars. We cannot even stop hatred. But what we can do is keep the flame of peace and human dignity alive," she said.
"Anyone whose story has been erased, pushed to the margins, or forgotten – our pens and hearts organically move in that direction. The power of literature brings the periphery to the centre, and it has the ability to rehumanise people who have been dehumanised."
To preserve literature's role as a unifying force, Shafak says writers must become "memory keepers". That role that requires curiosity and keen self-awareness, especially when technology has made information available with almost disconcerting speed and ease.
“We live in a world in which we have way too much information, but little knowledge and even less wisdom, and I think we need to change that ratio," she said. "What's happening is snippets of information rain on us every single day as we scroll up and down. Our social media feeds more our habits than anything else. We have no time to process and no time to absorb, and we have no time to feel what we see. Hyperinformation gives us the illusion of knowledge when the truth is we have long forgotten how to say, ‘I don't know.'
“For true knowledge, not information, we have to slow down, because it cannot be rushed. We need to listen to each other and we need cultural spaces such as literary festivals, slow journalism and books. And for wisdom, I think we need to bring the heart into our work.
"We need to build emotional intelligence and empathy for wisdom, and literature can do that. Now, I'm not claiming that we writers are wise people. Surely we are not. But what I am claiming is, when we write fiction we connect with something that is bigger than us, older than us and definitely wiser than us.”
Running until Sunday, the book fair returns after last year’s event was criticised due to its stance on the Israeli-Gaza war. Arab publishing bodies and organisations, led by the Sharjah Book Authority, withdrew from the festival after a planned award for Palestinian author Adania Shibli was scrapped. The decision prompted Slovenian philosopher Slavoj Zizek to call the cancellation "scandalous", during his keynote address at last year’s opening ceremony gala.
While not addressing last year’s event directly during Tuesday’s press conference, book fair director Juergen Boos said the latest programme would feature potent discussions surrounding the wars in Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine.
On Friday, the German branch of Amnesty International will host a discussion examining the German government's reportedly strong-handed response to expressions of solidarity with Palestinians during the war, in the public sphere and among civil servants.
On Saturday, there will be a session with Palestine's former culture minister and novelist Atef Abu Saif, where he will discuss the future prospects of his homeland. Meanwhile, Sunday’s closing events will include a panel on Sudanese women’s literature in the face of the civil war.
Tour de France 2017: Stage 5
Vittel - La Planche de Belles Filles, 160.5km
It is a shorter stage, but one that will lead to a brutal uphill finish. This is the third visit in six editions since it was introduced to the race in 2012. Reigning champion Chris Froome won that race.
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Healthy tips to remember
Here, Dr Mohamed El Abiary, paediatric consultant at Al Zahra Hospital Dubai, shares some advice for parents whose children are fasting during the holy month of Ramadan:
Gradual fasting and golden points - For children under the age of 10, follow a step-by-step approach to fasting and don't push them beyond their limits. Start with a few hours fasting a day and increase it to a half fast and full fast when the child is ready. Every individual's ability varies as per the age and personal readiness. You could introduce a points system that awards the child and offers them encouragement when they make progress with the amount of hours they fast
Why fast? - Explain to your child why they are fasting. By shedding light on the importance of abstaining from food and drink, children may feel more encouraged to give it there all during the observance period. It is also a good opportunity to teach children about controlling urges, doing good for others and instilling healthy food habits
Sleep and suhoor - A child needs adequate sleep every night - at least eight hours. Make sure to set a routine early bedtime so he/she has sufficient time to wake up for suhoor, which is an essential meal at the beginning of the day
Good diet - Nutritious food is crucial to ensuring a healthy Ramadan for children. They must refrain from eating too much junk food as well as canned goods and snacks and drinks high in sugar. Foods that are rich in nutrients, vitamins and proteins, like fruits, fresh meats and vegetables, make for a good balanced diet
THE BIO
Favourite author - Paulo Coelho
Favourite holiday destination - Cuba
New York Times or Jordan Times? NYT is a school and JT was my practice field
Role model - My Grandfather
Dream interviewee - Che Guevara
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Related
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
The drill
Recharge as needed, says Mat Dryden: “We try to make it a rule that every two to three months, even if it’s for four days, we get away, get some time together, recharge, refresh.” The couple take an hour a day to check into their businesses and that’s it.
Stick to the schedule, says Mike Addo: “We have an entire wall known as ‘The Lab,’ covered with colour-coded Post-it notes dedicated to our joint weekly planner, content board, marketing strategy, trends, ideas and upcoming meetings.”
Be a team, suggests Addo: “When training together, you have to trust in each other’s abilities. Otherwise working out together very quickly becomes one person training the other.”
Pull your weight, says Thuymi Do: “To do what we do, there definitely can be no lazy member of the team.”
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TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
