Syrian author Badour Abdul Baqi Al-Attar launched her literary debut, "Shadow of a Homeland," during a cultural evening held today, Saturday, at Khan Suleiman Pasha in Old Damascus. The event was attended by a select group of those interested in creative and humanitarian affairs, presenting a literary experience that starts from an emotional autobiography to touch upon issues of loss, identity, belonging, and alienation.
For his part, the book clarifies that it includes a collection of articles and sequential, interconnected stories, while retaining some of their details and surprises for the reader, in a move aimed at encouraging individuals to share their experiences and human stories. The launch of the work came from the heart of Damascus, the city that forms a central axis in the text as a space for memory and a reference for belonging.
Al-Attar pointed out that the book's idea is based on influential milestones in her life, noting that her relationship with writing began in childhood, influenced by the loss of her father at an early age. She noted that her subsequent move to Canada with her children gave the experience of loss another dimension, represented by distancing from the homeland, causing feelings of alienation to intertwine with personal memories and transform into creative material that she trusted in her book.
She added that the book consists of 318 pages in medium format, with an introduction by Dr. Ali Munir Harb. It was published in its first edition in Canada in 2025, while its second edition was published by Al-Tanawu' Al-Thaqafi Publishing and Distribution House in Damascus. Al-Attar is considered a Syrian-Canadian writer, literary figure, and activist in the cultural and social affairs of the Syrian diaspora.
For her part, the author explained that the book's launch resulted from widespread reader interaction via social media platforms, where she used to publish short stories and observations from Damascus and Syria during years of exile. She confirmed that her visits to many Syrian cities, especially the city of Homs, left an emotional impact that drove her to continue writing and documenting Syrian memory literarily.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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