A massive cultural poetry festival on the occasion of the 78th birthday of darwish in the municipality hall of Sidon

On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the birth of the late Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish, Nashet association in cooperation with the UNRWA schools in Sidon organized the final competitions for the poetry competition in the Municipality Hall of Sidon.

The director of UNRWA in the Saida region, Dr. Ibrahim Khatib, representatives of the Palestinian factions, school principals, a number of school teachers, associations, committees of districts and neighborhoods, and a crowd of students and their families, as well as cultural, social and media personalities attended the finalists.

In the beginning Dr. Talal Abogamos delivered a speech in which he presented passages to Darwish inspired by the occasion, and then the Palestinian and Lebanese national anthems were played.

Then a short film was screened for the students during the first and second qualifying sessions. Then, the director of UNRWA in the Saida region, Dr. Ibrahim Al-Khatib, said that these contestants are the hope that will build the future, stressing that despite all challenges, UNRWA will face the challenges and complete her career in helping our people, especially in education, stressing that there is partnership between the UNRWA and the Nashet association, and this partnership are the hope that is based on our students.

Dr. Zafer Al Khatib, the Director of Nashet association welcomed the audiences, noting that it’s the fourth year of competition. Also we believe that culture should be a life-long approach for students, especially for the Palestinian poets who presented for Palestine a lot. Where their bodies died but there ideas didn’t. Stressing that this competition will be the approach followed by nashet every year, on the anniversary of the birth of Darwish, the owner of the word and of the idea.

The final exams were held with the participation of seventeen students.They presented their poems to a committee composed of Dr. Intisar Al-Danan, Mr. Taha Al-Abd and Mr. Mohammed Al-Shuli  in an atmosphere of enthusiasm and motivation. The results were announced as follows:

1- The first prize was awarded to the contestants Marwa Taha and Maria Daoud.

2- The second prize was won by the contestants Maria Khalifa and Janine Me’ari.

3 – The third prize won by the contestants Ali Haj Musa and Maria Taha.