Hiiraan Online
Sunday September 15, 2019
MOGADISHU (HOL) - The winners of the EU funded poetry competition dubbed SilsiladdaNabaddawere unveiled Saturday in Mogadishu.
Five young poets were recognised for their award winning submissions in a ceremony held in Mogadishu. The winners were drawn from a pool of submissions targeting Somalis across the globe.
EU ambassador to Somalia Nicolas Berlanga Martinez said the competitions not only presented an opportunity for young people to express their talents but also contributed to fostering peace and democracy in Somalia
“On the eve of the International Day of Democracy, we recall that democracy is about the people and most importantly the youth. Democracy is also about participation which is fundamental to peace, prosperity and the respect of human rights,” said Martinez. “Young poets’ contributions are like small pieces of radiography of Somali society, each one with its different tonality; but all of them full of aspirations for peace and reconstruction in Somalia.”
The recipients of the awards as well as the shortlisted candidates presented their poems during the event.
According to a statement from the EU, the competitions helped to ‘bring back the revered and historic Silsilad poetry tradition.
The youth driven initiative was open to all Somalis across the world and its aim was to hold a community-wide discussion among Somali youth on the concepts of democracy and peace.
The competition received entries across all four corners of the world- reaching Melbourne, Bosaso,
Stockholm, Hargeisa, New Delhi, Seattle, London, Lahore, Baidoa, Mogadishu among other global and local cities