Tales from the Land of the Maple Opens Montreal Salon

By Tahani Elghazaly
Published May 10, 2026

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Intellectuals and prominent members of the Arab community celebrated Egyptian writer Hossam Mokbel and his new book “Tales from the Land of the Maple,” which was discussed and signed during the first session of the Egyptian Cultural Salon, organized by the Egyptian Cultural and Educational Office in Montreal under the leadership of Dr. Ahmed Gaber, in cooperation with the General Services Association for the Integration of Immigrants, SPDI.

The book was recently published by Dar Al-Mofaker Al-Arabi for Publishing and Distribution in Cairo. It explores the author’s impressions of life in Canada and its natural and human challenges within a multicultural society with many faces.

The event was attended by Ambassador Nabil Makki, Consul General of Egypt in Montreal, who delivered remarks welcoming the idea of organizing a regular Egyptian cultural salon, and praised the choice of beginning the salon with Egyptian writer Hossam Mokbel, who has been active in serving the Egyptian and Arab community and manages the Montreal Arab Book Fair, held once every year.

Dr. Ahmed Gaber, the Egyptian Cultural Attaché in Montreal, said that the cultural salon, which will be held once every three months, aims to shed light on Egyptian culture and the creativity of Egyptians in the diaspora, support cultural integration, promote civilizational dialogue, and connect the Egyptian and Arab communities with the cultural scene in Canada.

Adel Boulos, President of the General Union of Egyptians Abroad in Canada, also spoke at the event and expressed his admiration for the efforts of the book’s author, Hossam Mokbel, in preserving the Arabic language. He explained that this role is very important for the Arab community, especially the new generations.

Hossam Mokbel, the author of the book, said: “Speaking about Canada requires many books, not just one. In this book, I tried to capture what I could from the details of the journey: what my eyes saw, what my ears heard, and what the place left inside me of wonder, questions, and reflections. It is not only the biography of a place, but a biography of impressions, and the perspective of a journalist trying to record his observations and personal experience.”

“Tales from the Land of the Maple” is the fifth book in the author’s career, following his previous works: “Travel Enthusiast,” a travel literature book; “I Am Digital, Therefore I Exist,” which discusses the impact of social media on our lives; “Letters from the Other Shore,” a literary correspondence work co-authored with Dr. Dalal Maqari Baouch; and “Migratory Birds,” which tells success stories from the diaspora.

Several intellectuals and prominent figures from the Arab community also made interventions in response to the book and its author, offering their testimonies about the writer’s journey in Canada and his significant efforts.