On the evening of October 31, 2025, Tetouan’s vibrant cultural life was enriched by a profound literary tribute. The Iklyle Cultural Center, in collaboration with the Linguistic, Literary, Cultural, and Interdisciplinary Studies Research Lab at Abdelmalek EssaadiUniversity, hosted a special event honoring acclaimed Moroccan writer and critic Dr. LatifaLabsir, recipient of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award for her novel Tayf Sabiba (Sabiba’sSpectrum).Bringing together writers, researchers, students, and cultural thinkers, the gathering celebrated a work that reimagines literature as a conduit for empathy, awareness, and social healing.
The evening opened with remarks by Dr. Brahim Barhoun, from the LLCIS lab, who welcomed the audience and introduced Dr. Labsir and her interlocutor, doctoral candidate Ikram Ben Talha. Ben Talha moderated the dialogue with remarkable insight, crafting a series of questions that opened a window into the emotional and intellectual landscape of Labsir’snovel.A short video presentation followed, capturing the award moment and setting the tone for a rich discussion about the novel’s themes, structure, and symbolism.
With warmth and clarity, Dr. Labsir traced the novel’s origins to her personal observations of bullying and exclusion, especially of children on the autism spectrum, in Moroccan schools. “Where does this gratuitous violence come from?” she asked, linking it to the desensitization fostered by digital media. Tayf Sabiba, she explained, is both a literary act and an ethical stance—an attempt to counter that violence with beauty, understanding, and emotional truth.
She unpacked the symbolism in the novel’s title: “Tayf” (spectrum) evokes diversity and multiplicity, while “Sabiba”, a name she invented, represents hope and healing. Together, they embody the connection between the autistic child Raji and the world around him. Every character’s name reinforces this symbolic network: Radiya (acceptance), Raji (hope), Hiba(gift), and Amal (renewed optimism), infusing the narrative with layered emotional meaning.
Rejecting a purely medical lens on autism, Labsir advocated for a social and educational approach centered on the individual and not on the diagnosis. She underscored the lack of early diagnosis in Morocco and the immense emotional burden on families with few resources. In this context, she sees literature not as escape but as ethical engagement.
When asked why she chose Hiba, Raji’s sister, as the narrator, Labsir offered a beautiful defense of literary imagination: “Literature doesn’t replicate reality; it reshapes it.” Hiba, as the seeing-and-feeling voice, becomes a bridge between silence and understanding. The doll Sabiba, in turn, emerges as a powerful symbol, a silent companion who becomes a vessel for connection and healing within the family.
On the aesthetic level, Labsir explained her choice of yellow for the book’s cover, breaking from her previous use of blue, as a visual metaphor for the novel’s duality: anxiety and light. She also explored the theme of art as therapy, with Raji’s drawings representing his emotional outlet, much like the work of artists such as Van Gogh and Frida Kahlo, both of whom turned personal pain into universal beauty.
The event was further enriched by the voices of four young readers from the Iklyle Cultural Center who offered critical readings of Tayf Sabiba, touching on its use of color, narrative technique, and symbolism. Dr. Labsir responded with deep appreciation, calling their insights one of the most moving experiences of her career.
The discussion expanded to the novel’s family dynamics, with particular focus on the Moroccan mother as a figure of strength and care. While the father in the story appears distant, Labsir noted that this is not a critique but an invitation to explore how trauma and helplessness can manifest as withdrawal. “Literature,” she said, “must open spaces for understanding, not judgment.”
A particularly touching moment came with the screening of a short artistic video based on a letter from Hiba to other children, voiced through the doll Sabiba and performed by a young girl. The emotional resonance of the child’s voice left a profound impact on the audience.
Writers, critics, and artists in attendance added thoughtful reflections, celebrating the novel as a fusion of artistic sensitivity and pedagogical depth. They praised its rich language, psychological nuance, and its contribution to a body of literature that gives voice to difference and fosters understanding.
In a gesture of appreciation, Imad Al-Attar, director of the Iklyle Cultural Center, presented Dr. Labsir with a commemorative plaque recognizing her creative and intellectual contributions. The evening concluded with a book signing, amid heartfelt exchanges and a palpable sense of shared humanity.
Writer and audience alike agreed that Tayf Sabiba is not simply a novel about autism. It is a literary hymn to empathy, a call to recognize the quiet strength in difference, and a reminder that literature still has the power to touch the deepest layers of our shared humanity.
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