Arabs preserved Greek civilization: Researcher

RIYADH: Greek researcher Paraskevi (Fifi) Kavala has underscored the role of Arabs in preserving her country’s civilization and their contribution in enriching human civilization.
Kavala was speaking Thursday on “Greek and Arab Culture: Questions in vulnerability and impact” as part of the cultural program at this year’s Riyadh International Book Fair, which kicked off Wednesday.
Greece is the official guest country at this year’s festival.
“Greek civilization would have disappeared if it had not relied on Arab’s rich civilization. It did not only uphold it but also contributed to the greatest enrichment of human civilization,” Kavala said.
“We thank you for your contributions to human civilization … your inventions in algebra, science, medicine, drugs, chemistry, anatomy, mathematics — you have provided a different and unique contribution to the world," she said
Kavala said civilization forms an important basis of social evolution, and fits in with historical circumstances, so it flourishes day after day.
Professor Hamad Al-Dakhil of Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University said Greeks have benefited from Semitic civilizations in the lands of the Euphrates during the era of the Babylonians and the Canaanites. He explained that “the Arabs have been influenced by Greek poetry, but did not have a noticeable effect because of difficulties in translation.
Another presenter, Abdulrahman Habib, who spoke about the impact of Greek philosophy on Arab thought, said the doctrine was forced to engage in the philosophy of language to explain and interpret religious texts, and then entered into other philosophical ramifications and influenced by Arab thought.