Mohammed Bin Rashid Library Discusses the Novel “Peace From the Depths of the Earth”

In collaboration with the Book Club, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library organised a session to discuss the novel “Peace from the Depths of the Earth” by Emirati author Mariam Al Hammadi. Moderated by Walid Al Marzouqi, the event aimed to celebrate Emirati literature during Reading Month.

At the beginning of the session, Al Hammadi stressed the importance of such sessions and the need to continue organising them, as part of public library events and book clubs. She expressed great admiration for innovative methods that encourage reading, noting that they are all motivational factors that lead to writing, which is a product of reading.

Al Hammadi discussed her beginnings in writing in the absence of these motivational factors until she published her first book, "We Thought It Was a Tree," in 2018. She also addressed her novel "Peace from the Depths of the Earth," which is categorised under science fiction.

"We are living the imagination of a person from 50 years ago, so everything that is reality today was once imagined in the past," she said.

Al Hammadi highlighted the topics in the novel include ideas that are not accepted in our current time, but may be accepted in the future.

According to Al Hammadi, the events of the novel take place between 2090-2093, as part of dystopian literature, and it features the generations that suffered from the effects of the third nuclear war, which is predicted to erupt in 2030 according to the novel. How will those generations face conflicts and live through the destruction of the Earth due to the mistakes made by previous generations, our current time?

In her novel, the author combines science fiction with values she fears future generations might lose, focusing on human emotions and conscience, and aiming to make present-day individuals reconsider their actions and strive to live in peace and tolerance.

The discussion session witnessed wide participation from an audience of different ages and nationalities, through questions and interventions that reflected the depth of readers' engagement with the novel.

These events are part of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library's ongoing efforts to support Emirati literature and book clubs, alongside its vision to promote a culture of reading and writing among individuals, especially the new generation. By organising such events, the library aims to create an interactive platform that brings together authors, readers, and critics, contribute to exchanging ideas and experiences, and fosters cultural dialogue.