Young Moroccan Talent Unveils "Epic of the Past"
Nour El Houda Damraoui, a promising thirteen-year-old Moroccan student, has made waves in the literary world with the publication of her first novel, titled "Epic of the Past." This remarkable achievement is a culmination of her extensive reading and the nurturing support she received from her family, school, and various literary initiatives, including the National Reading Project in which she competed with peers over literary prowess and book reading.
As reported by her father, Idriss Damraoui, the spark that ignited Nour's writing journey came from her Arabic language teacher, Dr. Mohammed Asrar, during her first year of middle school in the town of Missour. He emphasized that her extensive reading of novels laid the groundwork for her creative expression. Nour's writing experience was further cultivated through participation in the National Reading Project and the Arab Reading Challenge, where she achieved national recognition on two occasions. Additionally, she earned the title of eloquent speaker for the Fes-Meknes region in Arabic and consistently excelled in her reading and studies, representing the Boulemane region in the Children’s Parliament.
Idriss shared that Nour's love for writing was nurtured during her sixth year of primary school when she contributed an article to her school’s publication, which triggered the idea of writing her own stories. In the following year, she continued her literary endeavors in middle school, where her teacher, Dr. Asrar, guided her. Following her national qualification and first-place ranking in the National Reading Project for the Fes-Meknes region, she was encouraged to transition from reading to writing. With determination, she began crafting her novel, leading to the creation of "Epic of the Past," and she is currently working on two additional novels.
Beyond her novelistic endeavors, the young author has also contributed articles to various online magazines, including "Al-Harf wal Kalima" and "Naboulis Cultural." The encouragement to publish her debut novel came from the National Human Rights Association in the Fes region, aimed at promoting youth creativity, alongside her teacher Asrar, who submitted her manuscript to the Knows of Knowledge Publishing House, which subsequently published it.
In her new literary work, Nour El Houda Damraoui writes with profound emotion, capturing poignant moments such as: “He smiled a bitter smile, mocking himself. He picked up the pen and began to write, but he was not just jotting down words. He was inscribing his pain, his shattered hopes, and pivotal moments in a life crushed by reality. He wrote about the first meeting, the desires hidden behind words, the laughter that once filled the space, and that fateful day when he discovered that everything he had dreamed of was merely a false illusion.”
As reported by hespress.com.
