GRUPP TA’ MALTIN JITLA’ FIT-TRAMUNTANA TAL-ISVEZJA (Arctic Circle) BIEX JINĠABRU FONDI GĦALL-SPCA F’MALTA

Patrick Sammut jitkellem ma’ wieħed mill-parteċipanti,

l-Inġinier Winston Pirotta:

(Fir-ritratti jidhru minn fuq għal isfel: Winston Pirotta; Winston ma' parteċipant ieħor waqt li qed jaqtgħu l-injam għan-nar; u l-grupp sħiħ li pparteċipa f'din l-inizzjattiva).

1. X’kien jisimha l-isfida li inti u sħabek dħaltu għaliha?

89.7 Bay Arctic Survival Challenge in aid of SPCA Malta.

2. Liema kien l-objettiv ewlieni ta’ inizzjattiva bħal din?

Ġbir ta’ flus biex jiġi rinnovat ċentru tal-SPCA fil-Furjana, Malta, u biex jiżdied l-għarfien dwar l-attivitajiet tal-SPCA.

3. Professjonalment, min kienu l-persuni li pparteċipaw fi sfida bħal din?

Kien hemm professjonisti mill-qasam tal-IT, tas-Saħħa, tal-Management, ġurnalisti, edituri u anki imprendituri minn oqsma differenti.

4. Meta bdiet din l-avventura u kemm damet? Fejn seħħet eżattament u liema kienu t-tappi differenti tagħna?

Seħħet bejn l-4 u l-11 ta’ Marzu 2011. Il-post kien Raflaven Lake – Ostersund – fl-Isvezja, ftit ’l isfel mill-Arctic Circle. L-attivitajiet kollha kienu fl-inħawi tal-post.

5. X’kien ix-xogħol tagħkom ladarba wasaltu fid-destinazzjoni?

Fl-ewwel fażi, konna maqsumin fi gruppi ta’ tnejn fejn ħadna sehem f’attivitajiet bħal cross country skiing, huskie sledging u snowmobiling. Fit-tieni fażi, magħrufa bħal il-propja Arctic Survival, konna maqsumin fi tliet gruppi, wieħed jieħu ħsieb it-tisjir u l-proviżjoni tal-ilma, grupp ieħor jieħu ħsieb iqatta’ s-siġar mejta u jagħmilhom logs għan-nar, u grupp ieħor jieħu ħsieb jimpala s-silġ, ħalli nkunu nistgħu nibnu l-postijiet fejn konna ser norqdu.

6. Liema kienu l-isbaħ waqtiet ta’ esperjenza bħal din?

Fuq kollox il-Huskie sledging. Is-saħħa li għandhom il-klieb hija ħaġa tal-għaġeb. Imbagħad l-Ice Hole. Bnejna toqba fis-silġ kbira, li għalkemm ċediet u kellna aċċident, kollox spiċċa b’wiċċ il-ġid. U anki l-Aurora Borealis. Dan kien fl-aħħar lejl meta tpaxxejna b’show tal-ġenn ta’ din il-meravilja naturali.

7. Liema kienu l-waqtiet li setgħu qatgħu qalb dak li jkun?

Kif semmejt, waqt li konna qed inħaffru l-Ice Hole, is-silġ ċeda fuq tlieta mill-parteċipanti, u tista’ timmaġina t-tensjoni li kien hemm sakemm ħarġuhom kollha minn taħt is-silġ.

Min-naħa l-oħra, dan l-avveniment għaqqad iżjed lill-grupp.

8. Kemm kellkom sapport min-naħa ta’ entitajiet differenti, u x’tip ta’ sapport kien?

Barra s-sapport tal-familjari tiegħi, speċjalment il-mara, jien personali kelli s-sapport ta’ kumpaniji lokali, fosthom Computime Ltd, STL Technologies u Rameline. Dawn taw donazzjonijiet diretti lil SPCA Malta.

Il-ħanut The Bowline, Qormi, offra skontijiet tajbin liċ-Challengers fuq ħwejjeg u ekwipaġġament li kellna ntellgħu magħna għaċ-Challenge.

89.7 Bay Radio offra l-kollegamenti diretti kuljum, li kienu xi ħaġa li ċ-Challengers kollha kienu jistennew bil-ħerqa.

Nirringrazzjahom ħafna!

9. Din ma kinitx l-ewwel esperjenza tiegħek fejn ħadt sehem biex jinġabru flus għal min għandu bżonnhom. Inti pparteċipajt f'inizzjattivi oħra ta' dan it-tip kemm f'Malta kif ukoll barra. Xi tgħid dwar dan?

Kull sena nipprova nieħu sehem f'xi inizzjattiva ta’ dan it-tip fosthom Cycling Tours Sqallija mal-EFRU (Emergency Fire Rescue Unit) fl-2009 u 2010 fejn inġabru flus għal Puttinu Cares u Inspire rispettivament, u anki oħrajn. Imma l-iżjed waħda għal qalbi kienet l-Ability Challenge 2010 fis-Slovakkja meta inġabru flus għall-Inspire fejn kont parti minn grupp ta' Maltin li marru jagħmlu sports differenti fosthom white cycling, water rafting u paragliding. F’dan il-każ l-għan ewlieni kien li jgħinu lil żgħażagħ b’diżabbiltà, li kienu parti mill-grupp, jieħdu sehem f'dawn l-isports.

10. Kemm taħseb li inizzjattivi bħal dawn qed jilħqu l-mira tagħhom?

Huma eżattament inizzjattivi bħal dawn li jżidu l-għarfien dwar l-NGOs differenti f’Malta fost il-pubbliku Malti. Bħala grupp, irnexxielna niġbru aktar minn 13,000 Ewro għal SPCA Malta.

11. Huwa veru li f'ambjenti estremi bħal dak li kontu fih il-bniedem bħal iħossu ħafna eqreb lejn in-natura u bħal donnu jsib lilu nnifsu? Kellek ċans timraħ ftit waħdek f'ambjent bħal dak, u xi ħsibijiet għaddewlek minn moħħok?

F'ambjent bħal dan li hu differenti minn dak ta' Malta, kelli ċ-ċans nimraħ waħdi fil-viċinanzi ta’ fejn konna (għax ovvjament, peress li l-ambjent kien ġdid u s-silġ fond u l-probabbiltà li persuna tintilef hi kbira). Xorta waħda, il-konsapevolezza li kont ’il boghod miċ-ċiviltà xorta tkun hemm għax il-kwiet u l-paċi li esperjenzajt ma ħassejthom imkien qabel. Apprezzajt il-majestożità tan-natura speċjalment meta rajt l-Aurora Borealis, u anki d-dispjaċir li l-ġeneru uman qed jeqred ’l ommna n-natura konsapevolment. Ħassejtni tikka.

12. X’marka ħalliet fuqek avventura bħal din? Ikollok l-opportunità terġa’ tgħaddi minnha? Għaliex?

Issa li qiegħed lura l-uffiċċju, bil-qiegħda quddiem il-kompjuter, nixtieq li għadni hemm, għax waqt l-avventura l-parametri ta’ fejn trid taħdem, kif u ma’ min, tkun tafhom bil-quddiem!!!! Allavolja hemm ix-xogħol kien fiġikament intensiv, kien bil-wisq aħjar minn xogħol ta’ uffiċċju!

Tgħallimt ħafna fuqi bħal per eżempju li m’iniex tajjeb biex immur skiing ;-) u li nista’ ngħaddi mingħajr il-BlackBerry, u anki dwar sħabi li ħadu sehem, għax malajr bdew joħorġu l-karattri differenti; min hu ħabrieki, min hu qalbu tajba, min hu għażżien, min iparla żejjed ....!!!!!

Tgħallimt ukoll kif naghmel it-te mis-siġar tal-arznu, kif inqabbad in-nar fil-kesħa, u kif ninduna liema siġar huma tajbin għall-ħruq u liema le!

Nippreferi nidħol għal sfida differenti, biex inħalli ċans lil ħaddiehor jgħaddi mill-istess esperjenza bħali.

Ara wkoll: http://www.wix.com/wpirotta/arctic-challenge

Il-Festival tal-Poezija mill-Mediterran f'Gaeta.

(Fir-ritratti jidhru waqtiet differenti mill-Festival tal-Poeżija f'Gaeta)

Malta tipparteċipa f’Konvenju Internazzjonali tal-Poeżija f’Gaeta, fl-Italja t’Isfel.

Bħala parti mill-Yacht Med Festival Gaeta 2011 li din is-sena sar bejn it-12 u s-17 ta’ April, ittellgħet ukoll okkażjoni bl-isem ta’ “Il Mediterraneo in poesia – Il viaggio della parola”. Din seħħet fil-15 ta’ April filgħodu u filgħaxija. Il-moħħ warajha kien il-poeta Giuseppe Napolitano. Wara snin twal mgħoddija fl-ambjant tal-iskola Napolitano llum iddedika ħajtu għall-promozzjoni tal-kultura, partikolarment il-poeżija. Huwa l-awtur ta’ 50 pubblikazzjoni fosthom La norma della diversità – Note sul Decadentismo e la poesia italiana del primo Novecento (Edizzjoni “la stanza del poeta”, 2007), Antologia – Poesie 1967-2007 (Pubblikazzjoni Guida, 2008), Genius loci – Diciotto poesie per Normanno Soscia (Edizzjoni D’Arco, 2009). Huwa wkoll il-fundatur u d-direttur attwali tal-kullana editorjali “La Stanza del poeta” li tiġbor fiha x-xogħol poetiku ta’ għadd ta’ poeti kontemporanji kemm mill-Italja u mill-bqija tad-dinja.

Waqt dan il-festival internazzjonali tal-poeżija, “Il Mediterraneo in poesia – Il viaggio della parola”, iltaqgħu tlettax-il poeta u poetessa mill-Mediterran kollu, inkluż il-poeta u kittieb Malti Patrick Sammut. Illum Sammut huwa awtur ta’ 11-il ktieb fosthom tliet workbooks marbutin mat-tagħlim tal-Malti u tat-Taljan fil-livell post-sekondarja, żewġ kotba tal-kritika letterarja marbutin l-aktar mal-poeżija Maltija, erba’ kotba tal-poeżija u tnejn ta’ stejjer għat-tfal. Il-pajjiżi li pparteċipaw f’dan il-festival, apparti Malta, kienu Iżrael, l-Albanija, Franza, l-Alġerija, il-Bosnia, Spanja, il-Maċedonia, il-Marokk u l-Greċja. Dan seħħ fl-isfond mill-isbaħ tal-Golf ta’ Gaeta fl-Italja t’Isfel (fir-reġjun tal-Kampanja), u li huwa parti mill-baħar Tirren.

Waqt din l-okkażjoni l-poeti mistiedna tkellmu dwar żewġ suġġetti ewlenija li kienu “It-traduzzjoni tal-poeżija” (fejn parti mill-panel kien Patrick Sammut, flimkien mal-Albaniża Elvana Zaimi u l-Grieg Nasos Vaghenàs ) u “Il-mara fil-poeżija (fejn il-parteċipanti kienu tliet poetessi: Nicole Stamberg minn Franza, Samira Negrouche mill-Alġerija u Diti Ronen minn Iżrael). Dwar it-traduzzjoni tal-poeżija Nasos Vaghenàs fakkar li t-traduttur qatt ma jista’ jkun mija fil-mija leali lejn it-test oriġinali, għalkemm jagħmel mill-aħjar biex joqrob kemm jista’ jkun lejn dak li jixtieq iwassal il-poeta li kiteb il-poeżija. Vaghenàs jgħallem it-Teorija u l-Kritika Letterarja f’Ateni u spiss jiġi mistieden minn Universitajiet barranin. Kiteb saġġi dwar l-awturi Griegi kontemporanji ewlenin u huwa meqjus bħala wieħed mill-ilħna poetiċi Griegi ewlenin tal-“ġenerazzjoni tas-sebgħin”. Intqal ukoll li hemm elementi bħar-ritmu, it-ton, il-waqfiet f’poeżija li bħal donnhom jgħaddu xi ftit jew wisq dak li l-kittieb ikun irid jesprimi anki lil min ma jifhimx il-lingwa oiriġinali. Min-naħa l-oħra, allaħares ma kinitx it-traduzzjoni, l-aktar fejn jidħlu ilsna minoritarji bħall-Malti u l-Albaniż, għaliex kieku ftit kienu dawk li jistgħu jgawdu mill-benna tagħhom. Intqal ukoll li m’hemmx ilsien ikbar minn ieħor. Li jvarja huwa n-numru ta’ nies li jitkellmuh. It-traduttur professjonist irid ikun espert fiż-żewġ ilsna li jkun qed jaħdem bihom, mela fl-oriġinal u anki fl-ilsien li jkun qed jittraduċi. Huwa importanti wkoll li, kif sostniet il-kelliema Albaniża, Elvana Zaimi t-traduttur jirnexxilu jwassal lill-qarrej dik il-“marvellous wonder” li l-poeta jkun kiteb dwarha jew ħoloq fil-kitba oriġinali. Zaimi ħadet il-Masters tagħha fit-teorija tat-traduzzjoni u tittraduċi mill-Ingliż għat-Taljan. Hija l-awtriċi tal-istudju li jittratta “ir-rwol tat-traduzzjoni fil-modernizzazzjoni tas-sistema letterarja tal-ilsna minuri (il-każ tal-Albaniż)”.

Dwar il-każ tal-ilsien Malti Patrick Sammut sostna li l-kelliem ta’ dan l-ilsien għandu l-għażla li jħaddem u jinsisti fuq kemm elementi li ġejjin direttament mis-Semitiku. F’dan il-każ semmiegħa ta’ ilsna li m’humiex Għarab isibuha diffiċli ferm biex jifhmuh, filwaqt li semmiegħa li ġejjin miż-żona Għarbija jifhmu sewwa dak li jkun qed jintqal. L-għażla l-oħra hija li l-kelliem Malti jinsisti fuq elementi aktar moderni ġejjin mil-Latin, mill-Isqalli, mit-Taljan u mill-Ingliż, u b’hekk is-semmiegħa taż-żona Romanza jkollhom iktar l-opportunità li jifhmu ftit jew wisq il-ġist ta’ dak li jkun qed jintqal. Sammut fakkar ukoll li attwalment fil-proċess tal-qlib mill-Ingliż jew mill-Franċiż tad-dokumenti tal-Unjoni Ewropea l-insistenza qiegħda titqiegħed fuq dawn l-elementi lingwistiċi aktar reċenti biex inkomplu nqarrbu lil Malta lejn il-kuntest Ewropew.

Dwar “Il-mara fil-poeżija” t-tliet kelliema u poetessi qablu dwar il-fatt li aktar milli poeżija miktuba min-nisa jew poeżija miktuba mill-irġiel hemm il-Poeżija. Mill-bqija kull mara u raġel huma differenti u dan mhux fuq livell ta’ sess imma aktar fuq livell ta’ individwi fis-sens li lkoll invarjaw fil-burdati tagħna. Samira Negrouche tal-Alġerija sostniet ukoll li huwa fatt però li l-mara f’ċerti pajjiżi għadha nieqsa minn bosta drittijiet u hemm nuqqas ta’ ugwaljanza bejn is-sessi, u dan jirrifletti żgur fil-mod kif tinkiteb il-poeżija. Negrouche hija tabiba, imma minn xi żmien ’l hawn hija tiddeskrivi ruħha bħala troubadour, jew poetessa freelance. Hija wkoll President tal-Assoċjazzjoni Kulturali “Cadmos” li torganizza anki eventi letterarji internazzjonali. Il-poetessa Franċiża, Nicole Stamberg, tkellmet dwar l-esperjenzi personali li l-poeta jgħaddi minnhom u li jimbuttawh biex jikteb: esperjenzi bħall-mard jew bħat-telfa ta’ dawk li nħobbu. Hu fatt li l-poeta mara għandha sensittivitajiet differenti minn dawk tal-poeta raġel. Stamberg, flimkien ma’ żewġha l-poeta, Georges Drano, taħdem mal-Assoċjazzjoni Humanisme et Culture, f’kollaborazzjoni ma’ inizzjattivi internazzjonali ta’ natura differenti. Nicole Stamberg taħdem ukoll regolarment ma’ artisti u illustraturi tal-kotba tagħha.

Diti Ronen, minn Iżrael, tkellmet dwar il-proċess meta tiġi biex tikteb poeżija: l-ewwel hemm il-proċess tal-kreattività, proċess fejn hija l-poetessa li tmexxi; imma wara jsegwi l-proċess tal-irfinar fejn il-poetessa jħossha skjava ta’ forza ikbar minnha. Dan żgur li jintrabat mal-fatt li Ronen hija wkoll riċerkatriċi u kittieba ta’ bosta papers ta’ natura akkademika. Hija tgħallem f’Tel Aviv is-suġġett Organizzazzjoni tal-politika kulturali.

Il-poeti parteċipanti kellhom ukoll l-opportunità li jaqraw xi poeżiji minn tagħhom bl-ilsien oriġinali, poeżiji li wara ġew tradotti u moqrija wkoll bit-Taljan. Poeti mistednin oħra kienu Amir Or minn Iżrael, Georges Drano minn Franza, Agron Tufa mill-Albanija, Sabahudin Hadžialić mill-Bosnija, Gustavo Vega minn Spanja, Shaip Emërllahu mill-Maċedonja, u Mohammed el Amraoui mill-Marokk. Meta Sammut tkellem ma’ Amir Or dwar is-sitwazzjoni ta’ kunflitt f’Iżrael, intqal li fil-verità l-politiċi fiż-żona msemmija huma ħbieb, imma għalihom huwa konvenjenti li l-pajjiż ikun fi gwerra biex huma (taż-żewġ naħat) jibqgħu fil-poter. Intqal ukoll li l-politiċi hemmhekk jibżgħu ħafna mill-kelma tal-poeti li jittrattaw is-suġġett tal-politika imma mhux direttament. Or huwa studjuż tal-filosofija u r-reliġjonijiet komparati u fundatur tal-Assoċjazzjoni “Helicon Society”. Jgħallem fl-Universitajiet tal-Iżrael, fl-Ingilterra u anki fil-Ġappun, u kiteb studji dwar il-poetika u r-reliġjon. George Drano huwa wieħed mill-poeti Franċiżi misjura u kontemporanji, involut fl-Assoċjazzjoni tiegħu “Humanisme et Culture”, u organizzatur ta’ avvenimenti internazzjonali bħal Rencontre des Suds. Or huwa wkoll il-President ta’ skola tal-poeżija f’Tel Aviv. Agron Tufa mill-Albanija huwa ġurnalista televiżiv u kollaboratur ta’ Festival internazzjonali tal-Poeżija fl-Albanija u anki barra minn pajjiżu. Speċjalizza fl-Istitut “Gorkij” ta’ Moska u jgħallem il-Letteratura kontemporanja f’Tirana. Sabahudin Hadžialić minn Sarajevo studja f’Londra u huwa membru tar-Writers Association u tal-Assoċjazzjoni tal-Ġurnalisti tal-Bosnija-Ħerzegovina. Huwa wkoll editur tar-rivisti online (u issa anki kartaċea) DIOGEN u MaxMinus magazin li jiġbru fihom poeti u kittieba kemm miż-żona tal-eks-Jugoslavja kif ukoll mid-dinja kollha. Illum huwa ġurnalista freelance u jikteb poeżiji, saġġistika, drammi, satira u aforiżmi. F’pajjiżu Sabahudin Hadžialić huwa wieħed minn 15-il poeta li ngħataw pensjoni bħala rikonoxximent tal-kontribut tagħhom fil-qasam tal-letteratura lokali.

Shaip Emërllahu, anki huwa mill-Maċedonja, hu ġurnalista għar-rivista Flaka. Jgħallem il-Letteratura Albaniża u huwa direttur tal-Festival Internazzjonali tal-poeżija “Ditët e Naimit” li għal dawn l-aħħar 15-il sena sar fil-belt ta’ Tetovë. Meta Sammut tkellem mal-poeti taż-żona tal-eks-Jugoslavja kollha qablu li llum f’pajjiżhom m’hemmx firdiet ta’ natura reliġjuża. Musulmani, Ortodossi u Kattoliċi jgħixu flimkien f’sitwazzjoni ta’ tolleranza totali. Huma kollha territorji li qed jagħmlu minn kollox biex iħallu żmien il-gwerra u l-qirda li ġabet magħha wara spallejhom biex jibnu pajjiżi aħjar. Parti mix-xogħol ta’ għaqda huwa afdat lill-poeti u lill-poeżija li tgħaqqad u mhux tifred.

Gustavo Vega huwa minn Leon, Spanja, imma jgħix f’Barċellona. Ħa l-lawrea fil-Filosofija minn Ruma, u anki fil-Filoloġija Ispanika b’teżi fuq il-poeżija viżwali li tagħha sar ħallieq u anki studjuż. Bħal ħafna huwa jemmen li l-poeżija tmur id f’id ma’ espressjonijiet artistiċi oħra bħall-pittura, il-grafika u l-bqija. Mohammed El Amraoui huwa mill-Marokk imma jgħix f’Lyon u jipparteċipa spiss f’inizzjattivi internazzjonali kemm fl-Ewropa kif ukoll fiż-żona tal-Maghreb. Fil-fatt, huwa fost il-poeti li kienu Malta, bħall-poetessa Samira Negrouche, f’rabta mal-festival Inizjamed. Huwa studjuż tal-lingwistika u l-filosofija u r-ruħ wara r-rivista “Cahiers de Poésie rencontres”. Huwa wkoll il-kreatur ta’ spettakli poetiċi li fiho jorbot il-poeżija mal-kant u l-mużika. Jikteb u jippubblika kemm bl-Għarbi u kif ukoll bil-Franċiż.

Taw daqqa t’id ukoll il-preżentatriċi u attriċi Clara Galante u l-interpretattriċi Elena Cassano. Din kienet okkażjoni tad-deheb għall-parteċipanti li leħħnu ilsienhom u l-poeżija tagħhom quddiem platea internazzjonali. Is-sabiħ kien ukoll meta wasal il-waqt li fih il-poeti parteċipanti parrtu l-pubblikazzjonijiet differenti tagħhom, imma kollha marbutin mal-lingwa franka tal-poeżija. Kienet okkażjoni oħra fejn l-Ilsien Malti nqara fl-oriġinal flimkien ma’ għadd ta’ ilsna oħra li jintrabtu mar-reġjun tal-Mediterran. Il-poeżiji li nqraw waqt dan il-jum inġabru fi ktejjeb-antoloġija poetika ta’ ftit iktar minn mitt paġna, bl-isem ta’ Yacht Med Festival Gaeta 2011 – Il viaggio della parola, ippubblikat minn la stanza del poeta ta’ Giuseppe Napolitano, u bi Preżentazzjoni ta’ Vincenzo Zottola, President tal-Kamra tal-Kummerċ ta’ Latina, u Daħla tal-istess poeta u organizzatur, G. Napolitano, President ta’ “La stanza del poeta”, inizzjattiva tiegħu f’rabta mal-poeżija.

Patrick Sammut (April 2011)

MALTA AT THE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION OF POETRY IN ITALY

As part of the Yacht Med Festival Gaeta 2011, held between the 12 and 17 April in Gaeta, Northern Italy, Malta participated in a convention of poetry entitled Il Mediterraneo in poesia - il viaggio della parola, on the initiative of Giuseppe Napolitano, the actual founder and director of the widespread editorial collection La stanza del poeta.

Thirteen poets took part, Malta being represented by Patrick Sammut, the well-known scholar, and poet, author of a very good number of books. Others hailed from various other countries, including France, Spain, Algiers, Albania, Morocco and Greece.

The main themes discussed were: The Translation of Poetry, which included Mr Sammut on the panel, and Woman in Poetry which, understandably, featured three women on the panel. Mr Sammut dwelt expansively on the roots, origins and beauty of the Maltese language, and commented on the actual translation process being recently adopted to bring the Maltese language nearer to the European context. The three poetesses argued that women had more penchant for poetry than men, but nevertheless both sexes were all subject to their various sentiments and moods.

All the poets present had the chance of reading their own lines, in their own native tongue, and these same poems were then read out in an Italian translation. Prominent guests were the renowned Spanish poet Gustavo Vega and Mohammed El Amraoui, who hails from Morocco but resides in Lyons. Hostess to the convention was the actress /presenter Clara Galante, whilst Elena Cassano interpreted.

This has been another golden opportunity for the Maltese language to feature abroad in all its glory, after the memorable one in Ravenna, in 2008, when Alfred Palma, there accompanied by Mr Sammut, read out his Maltese translation of Canto II from Dante’s Purgatorio, during the Progetto Dante 2008.

All the poems recited during this convention have been published in a book of over a hundred pages, entitled Yacht Med Festival Gaeta 2011 - il viaggio della parola, edited by Giuseppe Napolitano himself, with an introduction by Vincenzo Zottola, president of the Chamber of Commerce of Latina.

Alfred Palma

Gensonline: http://www.il-gensillum.com/news.asp?newscat=2&news=7599

http://diogen.weebly.com/yacht-med-festival-il-mediterraneo-in-poesia-2011-italia.html

The role of the writer/poet in the light of the natural disasters, nuclear threats and civil wars that are striking mankind today (6)

Teresinka Pereira is interviewed by Patrick Sammut

1. The world today is facing very hard times. I just mention the floods that struck parts of Australia, the quake and tsunami in Japan and the following nuclear threat, and the civil war in Libya. How much do events like these touch the poet/writer? Did you react to such events through some kind of writing (poetry, novel,etc.)?

Before being a writer, a poet, or an artist, we are human beings with our fears, and understanding that our Planet is suffering a crisis of human self-destruction by capitalizing in the scarce natural resources and in the creation of nuclear power without protecting the environment. People with humanistic values don’t have to write in order to express their empathy with others and offer support to the victims. But at this point, we are all confused, because even knowing that we are destroying the Planet and provoking all these disasters, we cannot stop it by ourselves. The people who make more profits from the nuclear plants and the over-construction and production in the land need to have a more humanitarian conscience and refrain from their greed. What writers and poets must do is to call attention to the right cause, which is to save the planet, by supporting the peace activists, the organizations of anti-nuclear power and anti-war, like the NIHON HIDANKYO, the Japanese Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organization (which is IWA candidate to the Nobel Peace Prize this year), the International States Parliament for Safety and Peace, the American Veterans Against War, the American Friends Service Committee, The Universal Circle of the Ambassadors of Peace, and so many others that fight for peace in an intellectual and global context. Writers, poets and artists have a greater ability to imagine how others think or feel, hence, can express in words or in work of art the appreciation for the victims suffering and engage in an eloquent protest against the greedy of the capitalists that is causing this destruction of the Earth. I feel an obligation to do that.

2. Do you think that the writer/poet must express himself and sound his voice regarding such events as soon as possible? What is the role of the writer/poet faced with events like these? Is this role less or more important than that of today’s politicians?

Yes, I think the timing of the poets/writers/artists reaction to these events is important, and it has to be immediately. However, it cannot be prior of their analysis and understanding of the event. If their analysis is correct, the writers voice is more important than that of the politicians, because it serves to denounce their hypocrisy, their greed, their lack of appreciation for the people’s will, feelings and needs. The poets/writers and artists have to speak for the people who are unable to express themselves except for the vote, which many times results in disappointment. In a positive way, the voice of the poets may alert the people for future events, like the complete destruction of the Planet, if we do not change the way of life and reduce spending of the earth’s supply of energy.

3. The writer/poet has been insisting on the need for peace and respect of nature for decades. Perhaps now the people in general will understand that writers/poets were right. Do you think writers/poets are doing their utmost to make their plea heard? What more can be done?

In order for writers/ poets/artists (including mail artists) to be effective in our protest or in our message of support for the protection of the earth resources and stop the abuse, greed and overproduction of nuclear energy, we have to strive for perfection in our writing and our art. We have to make sure our readers are going to understand our message and even more important, is that they will read it. The internet is filled with texts and long poems and even entire books of poetry impossible to read because of the large amount of it. It would take hours and hours of patience and interest to read all the unsolicited material we receive, including junk e-mail with pornography or a number of pictures and videos that clog our programs and freeze our internet ways. Some sendings have three, four or more repetitions. Some internauts forward everything they receive. Blogs contain more than two or three hours of readings! When the vanity of the internet authors speaks louder than their humanitarian message, there is a lack of connection with the public, and becomes negative. I think there is a need for some kind of properness and less greed on the part of internet writers, poets and artists. Every time I open my e-mail the box is full. Besides losing the ones that could not fit in, I also lose the ones that are on the bottom of the 1200 messages. After one hour of reading, my eyes cannot stay open any longer. Your question: What more can be done? My opinion is that writers/poets/artists should go to the point with their message. Eliminate the verbosity, the prolixity, the logorrhoea, and show their ability to deliver the message with an original lyricism and fresh style.

4. There is a need for governments and authorities to acknowledge the utmost importance of disciplines such as History, Literature, Philosophy and the like. Modern society does not need only science, finance, marketing, economics and management. How do you react to such a statement?

I am not against government, because I believe in order and justice as well as the scientific progress that helps all of the people in the global community. What I protest against is the advantage of the progress in science, finance, marketing, economics and management to the use only for the high class in power, the rich and the politicians. Yet, in the rich and powerful countries, the poor accept and seem to be happy with the system of welfare, which is a very small amount of money they receive from the government and do not protest against the lack of health care, education and housing. In the United States, which is the richest country in the world, the tax money goes to make wars, what conservatives call “defence budget” and the poor are left out of the “American dream” and have no right to free university and health care. Even if the elected President wants to promote it, he is defeated by the Congress and the warmongers. The other problem of the democratic capitalism is that the candidate for the presidency is elected not by direct vote but by an electoral college, and the candidate that gets more campaign money is the one that wins the election. I think that democracy in this country is just a word without meaning. However the American WASP (White, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant) majority of the population is happy with this, not considering that if the poor African-American, Latino, Oriental and Native members of the Minority class were educated and had access to health care, the society as a whole would be much happier and would live in peace with each other.

Note: Teresinka Pereira is the President of the International Writers Association. She is also Ambassador and Senator of the International States Parliament for Safety and Peace, and Minister of Human Rights for the World Organization of Indigenous People. Teresinka Pereira is the Attorney Delegate in USA, from the Cambridge International University, Honorary President of the Hispanic Association of Writers and Honorary Ambassador of the International Forum for Literature, Arts and Culture (IFLAC) in USA.

EASTER, PASSOVER, SPRING

The theme of renovation

life-death-life,

water-fire-sun

always ascending

as the luggage of the future

is Easter or Passover.

It is also Spring time for everybody.

Singing, dancing, praying,

which is the good thought

condensed in one total wish

of restoring life

the alchemy of the universe,

a fecund mystery of peace

ready to be discovered.

However, nothing happens

without a dream

of cultural harmony

and a new hope.

Wishing you a happy, beautiful and pleasant

Easter, Passover and Spring in 2011,

TERESINKA PEREIRA