(22-04-23) MOGADISHU – The European Union and the Somali Academy of Science, Culture and Arts have unveiled the names of the eight finalists for their jointly organised poetry competition, Silsiladda Nabadda. This year’s theme is ‘My vision for peace and prosperity’. The competition attracted more than 60 entries from talented poets who submitted short videos of themselves reciting their original works.
The judging panel, comprising Abdulkadir Nur Hussein, Osman Abdullahi Guure, and Hamdi Mahad Farah, assessed the poems based on their language quality, comprehensibility, originality, and relevance to the theme. Additionally, the judges considered the observance of traditional Somali poetry rules, including rhyme and rhythm.
The eight finalist videos are now available for public viewing and voting on the European Union’s Facebook page. The public can vote for their favourite poem by liking the video, with voting closing on Friday, 29 April at 11:59 pm. To ensure a fair and transparent voting process, the EU has outlined that votes must come from genuine Facebook accounts, with only one vote allowed per account. Any attempt to manipulate the voting process through the use of fake likes or auto liker apps will lead to disqualification.
The winner of the competition will be determined by the number of likes received, followed by two runners-up. The top three poets will be invited to attend the Europe Day celebrations in Mogadishu on 9 May 2023, where the overall winners can recite their poems. The first, second, and third-place winners will receive cash prizes of USD 1,000, USD 500, and USD 250, respectively.
This poetry competition is to showcase the creative talents of Somali poets and reflects the importance of cultural exchange between the European Union and Somalia. It serves as a platform for artists to express their visions of peace and prosperity, fostering community dialogue and understanding.
