Bandar Seri Begawan - Literature plays a big part in the mentoring of budding writers. Not only can it inspire individuals to take up writing, it can also influence those with a passion for written words to raise their creativity level, thus improving their knowledge on literature.
In relation to this, the Language and Literature Bureau (DBP) yesterday held an Islamic Creative Writing Workshop at its premises.
The four-day workshop, which ends on September 6, comprises a series of religious lectures by renowned literary figures, practical exercises, discussions and the unveiling of literary works of the participants.
The workshop is catered for those who are involved in the Novel Writing Contest 2007 - 2009, a by-product of the Majlis Ilmu 2007 programme.
Out of the 62 people taking part in the workshop, some have produced works in the form of novels, short stories and poems, which were published in Bahana magazine, Juara Pelajar, Mekar, Pelita Brunei and Media Permata.
Meanwhile, present as the guest of honour at yesterday‘s opening ceremony was Pengiran Setia Negara Pengiran Haji Mohammad Yusof bin Pengiran Abdul Rahim, an established literary figure in the 90s, who won the South East Asian Write Award in Thailand in 1993.
Also in attendance were Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports Awang Haji Ahmad bin Haji Abdul Rahman and DBP Acting Deputy Director Dayang Aminah bte Haji Momin.
The guest of honour, in his speech, said in order to appreciate or acknowledge creative Islamic literature, one must see or reminisce the history of the development of renowned literary figures and philosophers of Islam, from those in the Middle East and the Malay Archipelago.
To date, a number of creative Islamic works have been put forward by literary figures such as Adi Rumi, Shukri Zain, Yahya MS, Badaruddin HO and Zairis MS.
To mark the opening of the workshop, Haji Sulaiman bin Haji Duraman, a retired education officer and an expert in Malay literature, recited two of his poems, "Tanah Akhirat" and "Virus Khurafat".
Source: www.brudirect.com (4 September 2007)