Emirati and Moroccan Writers Celebrate the Short Story as a Cultural Bridge at Rabat Book Fair
Rabat, The Gulf Observer: Emirati and Moroccan authors came together on Saturday to champion the enduring power and evolving vitality of the short story, highlighting its dual role as a preserver of cultural heritage and a platform for literary innovation. The discussion formed part of Sharjah’s Guest of Honour programme at the 30th Rabat International Publishing and Book Fair.
Titled “The State of the Short Story in the UAE and Morocco,” the panel was organised by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) and moderated by Emirati poet Sheikha Al Mutairi. Featured speakers included Emirati writers Maryam Al Ghafli and Mariam Nasser, alongside Moroccan author Abdul Nabi Dashin. The session drew a large and engaged audience of readers, critics, and cultural enthusiasts.
The panellists emphasized the genre’s unique capacity to mirror societal transformations, conserve oral traditions, and push the boundaries of narrative form. Through a rich exchange of insights, the discussion underlined the short story’s critical place in shaping and sustaining Arab literary identity.
Maryam Al Ghafli traced the evolution of Emirati short fiction, connecting it to ancient oral traditions such as Sirat Bani Hilal and tales of Saif ibn Dhi Yazan. She outlined three key phases in its development—from the pre-union era, heavily influenced by pan-Arab literary trends, to the post-union phase marked by local themes, and finally to a globally engaged modern era beginning in the 1990s.
“Our short stories began where others had ended,” Al Ghafli remarked, pointing to the genre’s narrative sophistication from its inception.
Moroccan writer Abdul Nabi Dashin opened with a poetic tribute to the contributions of Emirati women writers, before charting the path of Moroccan short fiction from its early focus on national issues in the 1950s to its more experimental turn in the 1970s. Influences from cinema and visual art, he noted, have enriched narrative structures, while Arab heritage remains deeply embedded in Moroccan storytelling. Oral tradition, he said, is “a natural rehearsal for imagination.”
Mariam Nasser delved into the technical demands and creative potential of short fiction, calling it “one of literature’s most disciplined forms.” Citing Emirati writer Abdullah Saqr’s collection Al-Khashaba, she praised the precision and symbolic richness of short stories. Referencing Gabriel García Márquez’s advice—“Don’t bring a nail into your story unless you’re going to use it”—she underscored the importance of narrative economy.
Nasser also highlighted the significance of integrating folk tales and legends into modern short fiction, framing it as an act of cultural preservation that ensures Arab oral heritage remains vibrant and relevant for future generations.
The panel concluded with a shared vision: that the short story, in all its brevity, continues to be a vital space for reflection, creativity, and cultural continuity in the Arab literary world.
