A literary production in constant fertility, a triumph of bilingualism, progress in diversity. ”Glory to the book and blessed are the readers, curious about Gay knowledge” (sic).
Saturday May 4, in the evening, was celebrated the 28th edition of the ”Golden Comar”, at the municipal theater of Tunis. In tribute to the organizers, we will say that they had a marathon vision. Indeed, they did not run out of steam and the event took on the dimension of a national holiday. It must be recognized that the country, ahead of the agricultural calendar, brought in a harvest before the harvest. Six prizes were awarded. And the presidents of the Jury, Ridha Kéfi, for the French language and Mohamed Kadi, for the Arabic language, while waiting for a philosophy prize to be established, to exult: ”Hymn to the promotion of the Tunisian novel, Ode to Joy”. Ali Bécheur, died last April, great lawyer and eminent writer, triple recipient, serial crowned head, of the Comar D’or, on 1er in 1997 in the very first edition then in 2006 and 2018 received a beautiful posthumous tribute to the height of his personal aura as well as the quality of his literary legacy.
The list of glory
For our part, we are risking a bold reflection. Of all the off-balance sheet assets of the Comar Insurance Company, literary prizes are their primary lever of Goodwill. Well done ! However, to honor the honor of its leaders, we must remember that their initiative is totally patriotic and entirely disinterested. Bravo again! Go for Azza Filali! Her committed, incisive, militant, creative, innovative literary career paved the way for her. ”Misunderstandings” reported to him the ”Comar Dor” of French-language literature. But who could imagine that Sahbi Karaani, mathematics teacher, based in France! could be as gifted in writing according to the members of the Jury and subtle in speaking and we are witnesses to this. ”The notebooks of Jilani ould Ahmed”, however, his first work, normally eligible for the ”Discovery” prize, could captivate the Jury to the point of awarding him the Comar d’Or in Arabic. We cannot describe the happiness of the young shoots recipients of the “Discoveries” prizes. Praises from Jury Presidents to Atef Ghadoumi French Language Discovery Prize for his work ”Pour que il faire plus beau” as well as to Chaker Nacef for his novel ”The Throne of the Madmen”, Prize “Discovery” of the Arabic language took the form of an oracle to success. Last but not least, the jury’s special prize was euphoric. ”Fleurir” by Wafa Ghorbel, in French, apart from being in season, must herald a successful spring for its author. Kalthoum Ayacha for his essay, in Arabic whose title is difficult to translate, which would be a compilation of various reflections around the vagaries of existence, deserved, according to the President of the Jury, the mention of literary enchantment.
At the heart of literature and at the heart of universalism
The shot where we see Moncef Boukthir, Minister of Higher Education and Interim Minister of Culture, by happy coincidence, surrounded by Azza Filali as well as Sahbi Karaani is a moment with historic repercussions. Forgive my lyrical outburst in front of a Tunisia, in the midst of the tumult of a democratic project which never stops reinventing itself which celebrates with panache the beautiful letters and at the same time diversity. And above all, bilingualism is a lever for universalism. The joy of the jury presidents in describing the literary progress of Tunisian talents is indescribable. For fear of preciousness or pedantry we have silenced the ineffable qualifier which suits the circumstance. The candy box* was draped with the chandelier of Baghdad, the cradle of writing, the agora of the Attalus Gate in Athens, or the Conti quay, seat of the French Academy. Moreover, the ambassadors of these three countries would have completed the panorama. At this Mediterranean crossroads, Tunisia shone brightly during the Golden Comar and its universalist fiber. ”Glory to the book and blessed are the curious readers of Gai savoir” was the downfall of Sabri Karaani’s Speech. We see it as a motto for the Comar d’Or to whom we wish a long life.
*La bonbonnière: affectionate nickname of the municipal theater of Tunis
