Palestinian Wins Golden Wreath Award for Poetry

9 February 2007

Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish is this year's winner of the Golden Wreath Award allocated by the Struga Poetry Evenings (SPE), its Managing Board president Zoran Ancevski announced on Friday. Despite Darwish, seven other poets from Mexico, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Albania, Romania and Macedonia were nominated.

- Currently Mahmoud Darwish is considered to be the most eminent Palestinian poet and the most acclaimed one who creates in Arabic language. He has published over 30 poetry volumes, 8 novels, all in all 40 works, said Ancevski.

Darwish has won numerous international awards and affirmations. He actually embarked his poetry career at Struga Poetry Evenings in 1978.

In his letter to SPE, he highlighted that poetry's true identity has its roots in humanity and pure aesthetics, as well as in its ability to travel freely between cultures and languages.

SPE director Eftim Kletnikov said that preparations for the forthcoming festival were underway, whereas the winner of the Bridges over Struga Award for best newcomer in world poetry was due to be announced.

SPE and this year's laureate will be traditionally presented to UNESKO on March 21, World Poetry Day.

Source

Mahmoud Darwish is reading part of Ahmad Al Arabi at Mohmed the 5th theater in Alrebat. (Morocco)16 - 2 - 2007




"Takabar Takabar" lyrics by Mahmoud Darwish, music by Marcel Khalifah.