The English version of Sanfa and Moosa – Loabinfaru was launched this evening at a well-attended function held in the National Art Gallery hall. The Chief Guest was Dr Ahmed Anwar, the Rector of Villa College. In his keynote speech, Dr Ahmed Anwar said that he believed that this is the first time a Dhivehi novel about love, has been translated to English. He also said that after reading the book, he felt that it can be of help to foreign tourists to learn about our traditions, culture and the life in island communities, either currently or in the recent past. He also said that he believed the book can of educational benefit to Maldivian students when they are trying to write about various aspects of the Maldives. Therefore, he said that he has no reservation in recommending the book for school libraries in the Maldives.
The author of the book, Dr Mustafa Lutfi also spoke at the function. He said that the reason for writing the novel was to make people appreciate what love truly is, and make them understand about the universality of love and its immense power to solve problems, forge and maintain relationships and help move the nation forward. Mohamed Farook who had translated the book to English also spoke at the book launching function. He said that the reason he chose the Dhivehi novel, Sanfa and Moosa – Loabinfaru for translation was that it was a good Maldivian story which presented a unique insight to Maldivian culture and traditions.
The novel is now available for purchase from Asrafee Bookshop priced at RF200/=