Year
2005 Action Plan
The main focus of the Plan of Activities for year 2005
is the implementation of a project entitled “Towards Creative Writing
and a Culture of Reading in the Mother Tongue” proposed by the President
and adopted by the Committee. This consists of a series of activities
carried out in a variety of locations throughout the year. Each branch
will have to carry out certain aspects of the plan. Some of the
activities will be carried out in cooperation with partners.
The activities are intended to encourage creative
writing in the Somali language as well as creating general awareness of
the need to develop a culture of reading. The objectives of the
programme will be achieved through literary meetings, seminars, creative
writing workshops, symposiums, Book promotion events, training sessions
for young, aspirant writers, etc. The implementation of Some of the
activities will depend on funding availability.
Other items of the Action Plan as adopted at the
Executive Committee Meeting
1. Launching the Somali PEN Newsletter.
2. Updating and enhancing the website: Somalipen.org
3. Revitalizing the activities of PEN in Djibouti.
4. Improving and strengthening the work of the branches.
5. Creating new branches in Ethiopia and North America.
The working visit of the president of Somali PEN to
Djibouti
During the two months of January and February 2005,
the president of the Somali-speaking PEN, Maxamed Daahir Afrax, had been
in Djibouti on a working visit in order to re-activate and re-energize
the work of the organization in the Horn of Africa. The initiative was
quite successful; and the following is some of what has been
accomplished:
1. Work of the Djibouti Office re-vitalized
The work of our Djibouti office had suffered setback since early 2004
due to the lack funding. We had problemme with paying for the rent and
rates and the voluntary work of the former co-ordinator, Burhaan Axmed
Daahir had to be discontinued for the same reason. Fortunately, however,
the Ministray of Culture and Communication was kind enough to donate a
state property of several rooms with a meeting hall for use as the new
office of PEN. The other positive developments that had taken place
during the working visit of the President include the appointment as a
voluntary co-ordinator of Adan Hasan Aadan, a gifted poet and teacher;
Aadan will also serve as the team leader of the Djibouti Branch team who
have started working more rigorously; they recently held several
meetings including to successful public events (see below for details).
2. Well-attended roundtable on the promotion of the
written word
On the 30th of January 2005, The President of the Somali-speaking PEN
convened a well-attended evening devoted to the promotion of the written
word and the need for more creative work in mother tongue. Held at ADAC
Meeting Hall, in partnership with the Djibouti Association for Cultural
Development (ADAC), the evening was attended by representatives from
various creative sectors, including writers, artists, journalists, civil
society activists and intellectuals. Particularly conspicuous were
representatives of the main media enterprises of the Republic of
Djibouti such as La Nation, the leading newspaper in the country and the
Radio and Television of Djibouti who had covered the event.
In the opening, new PEN members were welcomed and
briefed. An overview of the International PEN movement and the history
and operations of the Somali-speaking Centre was given by the President,
Maxamed Afrax who thanked the creative community in Djibouti as well as
their supporters, including H.E. Ismail Omar guelleh, President of
Djibouti for embracing PEN and promoting literature and art.
Other speaker included the veteran historian and
collector of oral literatre, Aw Jaamac Cumar Ciise, author Saalax Xaashi
Carab who just finished the largest Somali dictionary, journalist Cumar
Siciid Bile, Director of Information and member of the Somali-speaking
PEN Executive Board, historian Maxamed Cabdillaahi Riiraash, radio
journalist Cabdalle Xaaji, poet Cumar Macallin and many others who
participated enthusiastically in the discussion.
3. Agreements of cooperation and partnership with
several institutions
During his visit in Djibouti, the president of the Somali-speaking PEN
was able to meet with leading officers of organizations with similar
objectives as PEN in promoting literature, culture and art. PEN had gone
into formal agreements of cooperation and partnership with these
institutions. Important steps have already been taken in support of the
PEN project “Towards Creative Writing and Culture of Reading in the
Mother Tongue” .Given below are some of these partners and the meetings
between them and Somali PEN :
Radio and Television of Djibouti (RTD): The President
of the Somali-speaking PEN, Maxamed Daahir Afrax, had a meeting with the
Director of Radio and Television of Djibouti (RTD), Mr. Cabdi Caateeye.
They agreed to establish partnership starting with the implementation of
the project “Towards Creative Writing and Culture of Reading in the
Mother Tongue” and jointing holding literary events and public
meetingscovered by the Radio and Television of Djibouti. The round-table
held on 30 January 2005 (see above) came as the first step towards the
implementation of this agreement.
ADAC is a NGO that is very active in the development
and promotion of culture and arts in Djibouti which already had good
working relations with the Somali-speaking PEN. Maxamed Afrax, had
visited their office and met with the Chairman of ADAC and other
officers of the organization. The two sides renewed their partnership
and cooperation, and ADAC had played an important role in many of the
activities carried out by the Somali-speaking PEN during the visit of
our president in Djibouti, and we appreciate their support and value our
partnership.
Institute of Languages: The Institute of Languages is
party of the Centre for Research of Djibouti (CERD), and has an active
partnership and cooperation with PEN. They had previously cooperated in
organizing the historic and the successful Somali Literature Week in
2003. The Director of the Institute, Mr. Idiris Yuusuf Cilmi, is a
talented writer and a member of the Executive Committee of the
Somali-speaking PEN
INXA: INXA (Somali abbreviation for Peace and Human
Rights Network) is a leading NGO in Somalia which has shown keen
interest in literature for peace. The President of the Somali-speaking
PEN, had met on 29 January 2005 with the Chairman of INXA, Mr.
Cabdinaasir Axmed Cismaan, and its Coordinator, Mr. Cumar Maxamed
Cabdille (Cumar Dhegey), who were visiting Djibouti at the time. The two
sides discussed possible areas of cooperation and Mr. Afrax raised with
the leadership of INXA the issue of co-operating in the implementation
of the programme “Towards Creative Writing and Culture of Reading in the
Mother Tongue” mentioned earlier. On their part INXA officers warmly
welcomed the idea. The two sides have also reached a general agreement
of partnership and cooperation. INXA and the branch of the
Somali-speaking PEN in Mogadishu have begun their cooperation in
organizing a literary symposium on March 2005 (see below).
1. The Southern Somalia Branch
The month of February in 2005 was a productive one for the Southern
Somalia Branch of the Somali-speaking PEN. The Branch Committee held
several important events. The committee had followed up with INXA the
conversation discussion that the President of Somali PEN had initiated
in Djibouti and They were able to develop a programme of joint
activities kickstarted with a symposium organized on 31 March 2005 in
City View Hotel, one of the biggest in Mogadishu. The theme of the
symposium was the Somali PEN’s “Towards Creative Writing and Culture of
Reading in the Mother Tongue” and had attracted many enthusiasts and
lovers of literature who liked the presentations. Among the speakers
were The Secretary General of the Somali-speaking PEN, Cumar Aadan
Qaaddi and Professor Qare of the Mogadishu University both of whom had
made presentations shedding light on the need and the best ways towards
a new culture of reading and writing in the Somali language.
2. The Djibouti Branch
Since the Djibouti office of the Somali-speaking PEN had been
reorganized it has been functioning smoothly. The Executive Committee
members in Djibouti have had several meetings where they discussed the
general action plan of the organization for the year 2005 and
demonstrated strong commitment to fulfil the programme “Towards Creative
Writing and Culture of Reading in the Mother Tongue”. A task force has
been formed to lead the work of the Djibouti branch. Some of the planned
activities include organizing a literary meeting on the 15 April 2005.
This meeting is a prelude to a series of regular literary meetings that
will be held on monthly basis.
3. The Sweden Branch
The Sweden branch of the Somali-speaking PEN in cooperation with other
Somali community organizations has participated in a number of
activities aimed at the promotion and development of the Somali
language, art, literature and culture. Working with the Somali teachers,
the managers of the Sweden branch of the Somali-speaking PEN have played
an important role in major events celebrating the “International Mother
Tongue Day” held throughout Sweden including several locations in the
capital, stockholm.
On 21 February 2005, one such event was held in a
school called Gullingeskola in Spanga-Tensta. This event in which
literary and other cultural performances were displayed was intended to
inculcate the love of mother tongue to the Somali students was led by
the chairman of the Sweden branch of the Somali-speaking PEN, Yuusuf
Cabdullahi, and the Secretary of the branch, Cabdi-Bashiir Cali.
Aw Jaamac Cumar Ciise, the icon of Somali letters and
history was unable to find a publisher for important and valuable set of
books that he has been working on for many years. When this situation
was brought to his attention, the President of Djibouti, Ismail Omar
Guelleh, was kind enough to invite Aw Jaamac to Djibouti and provide him
with the necessary support for the completion, editing and publication
of the books. One of the books is an extensively revised edition of the
collection of the poetry of the great early 20th century Somali poet,
Sayid maxamed cabdulle Xasan.
Saalax Xaashi Carab, a poet and a linguist has
succeeded after many years of research and writing to produce a large
dictionary which he called Eraykoobe. Saalax was able to complete and
publish the new dictionary also thanks to a generous support extended by
President Guelleh.
Maxamed Daahir Afrax has published a new, extensively
revised and expanded edition of his already famous book in Somali, Dal
Dad Waayey iyo Duni Damiir Beeshay: Soomaaliya Dib ma u Dhalan Doontaa?
(A Land without Leaders in a World without Conscience: Can Somalia be
Resurrected?). On 20 February 2005, a high profile launch ceremony was
held at Sheraton Hotel in honour of the author and his book. It was
interesting that H.E. Ismail Omar Guelleh, President of Djibouti
honoured the ceremony by his presence together with his Prime Minister,
Delieta Mohamed Deleita and other dignitaries. In a brief speech
President Guelleh praised the book and congratulated the author; he has
also renewed his strong commitment and that of his Government to the
promotion of literature and literacy giving especial encouragement to
mother tongue.
Yuusuf Cabdullaahi Xasan, Coordinator of the Sweden
branch of the Somali-speaking PEN has written two books aimed at helping
the children learn their mother tongue. The titles of the books are:
Afka hooyo baro oo ku barbaar and Ugaadh iyo habar dugaag.
Aamina Siciid, the vice-chairman of Sweden branch of
the Somali-speaking PEN and poetess has published a book of poems which
she called Qoriga u garwaaxshey asagoon sagaal galin. The launching
ceremony of this book which was organized by the Sweden branch of the
Somali-speaking PEN will appear in the next issue of the newsletter.
Cabdi-Bashiir Cali, the Secretary of the Sweden branch
of the Somali-Speaking PEN and a poet has published a book of poems that
he entitled: Shirrabidda Halabuurka.
Axmed Sabriye Gaabow, has also published a book in
Sweden called Taariikhdu waa ma Guuraan.
We have recently learned with great sadness the death
of Aadan Nuur, a young journalist and the representative of the
Somali-speaking PEN in Mudug region of Somalia who was well known in
Puntland and throughout Somalia. Aadan Nuur died in a car accident
between Boosaaso and Qardho.
The President and the other members of the
Somali-speaking PEN are sending their condolences to the family and
friends of Aadan Nuur.
Kor/Up
