ABU DHABI - KALIMA, the leading translation project of the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage, announced the publication of the Arabic translation of Joschka Fischer's book "The Return of History: The World After 11th of September 2001 and the Renewal of the West" [German title: Die Rückkehr der Geschichte: Die Welt nach dem 11. September 2001und die Erneuerung des Westens].
In a bold statement, Fischer - the former Foreign Minister of Germany - did not hesitate to say: "While the 20th Century ended in 1989 by the fall of the Berlin Wall, the 21st Century has begun on 11th of September 2001."
In his book, Fischer gives an inside story of the transformation the world witnessed beyond the Cold War and the East-West polarization that dominated the international political scene for decades. International politics took different dimensions: the rise of diverse kinds of threats that encompass new totalitarianism, which differs from communism and fascism. The scenario unfolded in front of the world as it faced the dangerous vacuum created by the collapse of the Soviet Union. The US, while "enjoying" the role of the world's sole superpower, is facing the reality of a multi-polar world dominated by the rising China, India and EU, and is seeing the need to cope with "unexpected wars".
Fischer tries to answer the questions that came with this "Newer" World Order, with all the dangers and opportunities that it brought with it, the chances of having stable and peaceful international relations, and the role the West can play in it.
While not giving definite answers, Fischer draws new scenarios to different 'tension spots' that dominate international politics, from Middle East crisis, to Iraq war, through Balkan wars, and asks about the elements that may contribute to establishing a world that respects international norms and laws and based on justice, or the cons that can jeopardize it.
"We concentrate on the translation of the leading books in history, poetry and literature in addition to text books. The Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage is keen in its strategy to present to the Arab reader the 'culture of the others' to highlight the importance of diversity and tolerance," said Dr Ali bin Tamim, Director of KALIMA.
"These are the new channels KALIMA is keen to open to our readers and to revive the translation into Arabic from world languages," he added.
The book is translated by Dr Hani Saleh Ali Al-Saleh, a Syrian writer and translator. He holds a PhD in geology and a diploma in German literature from Karl Frantz University in Austria. He worked as assistant professor in University of Algiers and spent some time working for the Ministry of Oil and Mineral Resources in Syria. He translated many books from German and English into Arabic on various subjects spanning economy, socio and psycho-health, orientalism and politics. He masters German, English, French and Dutch.
Joseph Martin 'Joschka' Fischer is a veteran German politician and the leader of the German Green Party. He was German Foreign Minister from 1998 till 2005 serving for two terms with Chancellor Gerhard Schröder and currently teaches at Princeton, US.
Blair blasts Britons over Iraq war