講演会「アラブ諸国遍歴の終点～オマーンの思い出」 Discover Oman Series #4 Nostalgic Oman

2014-07-14

(English is below photos.)

2014年7月3日東京広尾のオマーン大使館で塙治夫元オマーン大使ご夫妻による講演会Discover Oman #4「アラブ諸国遍歴の終点 – オマーンの思い出」が行われました。エジプトでのアラビア語習得を皮切りにレバノン、シリア、エジプト、イラク、サウジアラビア各大使館で勤務され、その後カタール大使・オマーン大使を歴任され、外交官としての様々な経験や思い出をご夫妻で紹介されました。

またアラブ文学研究者として、エジプトで初めてノーベル文学賞を受賞したナジーブ・マフフーズやイラクの詩人アブ・ヌワースの作品などについてお話しくださいました。さらにアラビア語についての質問には、同じアラビア語でも国によって異なることや大使館スタッフとのコミュニケーションは大使の正統アラビア語より奥様の巷のアラビア語の方が通じたことなどもユーモアたっぷりに語られました。

On July 3rd, 2014, the fourth session of our Discover Oman series was held at the Embassy of Oman, and Haruo Hanawa, former Ambassador of Japan to Oman and Mrs. Hanawa gave a lecture entitled “Memoire of Oman, the Last stop on My Journey in Arab Countries.”

The journey began in Egypt, where Ambassador Hanawa learned the Arabic language. After years of serving for Embassies of Japan in several Arab countries, including Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Iraq and Saudi Arabia he was appointed Ambassador of Japan to Qatar, and then to Oman. He and his wife recalled precious experiences and unforgettable memories from their diplomatic life in those countries and greatly impressed the audience.

Their stories about pieces written by a famous Iraqi poet, Abu Nuwas, as well as Naguib Mahfouz, the first Egyptian who won the Nobel Prize for Literature, captured the audience’s attention.

Ambassador and Mrs. Hanawa discussed how the Arabic language differs from country to country even though it is all called the Arabic language. They introduced this through a humorous story that Mrs. Hanawa’s colloquial Arabic was more useful than Ambassador Hanawa’s formal Arabic in communications with local staff at the Embassies.The audience greatly enjoyed such behind-the-scene stories.