Professor Sasson Somekh

The correspondence between Professor Sasson Somekh and Naguib Mahfouz (won the 1988 Nobel Prize in Literature) began in 1978, before the signing of the Egypt–Israel Peace Treaty. Mahfouz's first letter set the tone for a lifelong friendship rooted not in politics, but in a shared conviction that literature, memory, and culture could bridge divides long before diplomacy caught up.

Mahfouz wrote:

"Our two peoples enjoyed creative cooperation for many centuries in antiquity, throughout the Middle Ages, and in modern times. The periods of conflict and discord were relatively brief and few. Unfortunately, we have devoted far more attention to documenting those moments of strife than to recording the many long eras of friendship and collaboration. I dream of the day when this region, through our mutual cooperation, will become a radiant center of science, guided and blessed by lofty heavenly principles."