FOREWORD

Dear readers,

It was English author Edward Bulwer-Lytton who, in 1839, famously said that “the pen is mightier than the sword”. By which he meant that the peaceful act of writing can have a bigger impact than an act of violence.

Throughout the ages, the pen has remained extremely powerful. The world of literature allows us to explore the many facets of life through the works of novelists, poets and playwrights. It allows us to join them in journeys of fact or fiction, and it invites us to develop our own understanding of many human complexities.

It is with great delight then that I invite you to the fifth edition of our popular Nobel Museum exhibition, organised in collaboration with the Nobel Foundation, which this year carries the theme ‘Sharing Worlds’ and celebrates the works of Nobel laureates in Literature.

Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation, the exhibition explores such topics as peace, love, tolerance, life and the human condition as committed to novels by selected Nobel Prize in Literature winners.

The selected laureates span the history of the prize and all originate from various parts of the world, which shows the power and force of the written word to transcend borders and unite generations.

The exhibition also honours the great Naguib Mahfouz, the first Arab writer to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. The acclaimed Egyptian author enjoyed a 70-year career during which he wrote scores of novels, short stories, films and plays. Arab literature gained the attention of the wider world after he was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1988, and Mahfouz continues to be an inspiration to Arab writers of all ages.

With interactive exhibits and a series of workshops held by literary experts, this year’s Nobel Museum – which runs from 3 February to 2 March, at La Mer, Dubai – brings the written word to life in a way designed to spark the imagination of all ages.

I hope you can visit the Nobel Museum and it’s my wish that it inspires you to pick up a pen and embark on your own literary journey.