Local Stories Travel Furthest, Emirati and Polish Writers Tell Warsaw Audience

Sharjah's Guest of Honour program at the Warsaw International Book Fair 2026 highlighted the power of storytelling to bridge cultures. Emirati writer Saleha Ghabesh and Polish novelist Albena Grabowska shared insights on how narratives rooted in local experiences can connect with readers worldwide.

During a discussion titled "The Art of Storytelling through Narrative Experiences from the UAE and Poland," the authors reflected on the interplay of storytelling, memory, history, and place. Ghabesh, drawing from her novel "The Scent of Ginger," explained that fleeting memories can evolve into compelling narratives over time. She recounted a personal childhood memory of teachers weeping, which later informed her novel's plot.

Ghabesh emphasized that while memory is central, writers shape it through language, culture, and craft. "The most local stories are often the ones that travel the furthest," she stated, asserting that literature connects across cultures when it accurately portrays specific locales while delving into universally shared emotions and experiences. Her novel, set in the UAE during the 1950s and 1960s, found a strong connection with Polish readers, a resonance she attributed partly to the translator's careful attention to place names.

She also noted the influence of history on fiction, citing His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi's "My Early Life" as a formative reference for "The Scent of Ginger." Ghabesh concluded by stressing writers' ethical responsibility to reflect society respectfully, guided by human and cultural values rather than a desire to offend.

Grabowska described storytelling as an extension of collective memory, particularly for women, families, and small communities. She noted that much of Polish literature originates from "small homelands" – the places and memories of childhood.

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The most local stories are often the ones that travel the furthest.