News

SlaMena: Echoes of Change – Wednesday Overview

Oct.23rd 2024, Poetry Slam Contest: SlaMena: Echoes of Change in partnership with FNF MENA, FNF Morocco, The Olive Writers, and The American Arts Center, was a day filled with inspiration and creativity.. The day began with a warm welcome from Mr. Sebastian Vagt, who engaged the participants from the MENA region in a vibrant poetry slam style:

"This is Slamena, we wish you a warm welcome,
Great days like these are seldom.
Have you ever heard about the Friedrich Naumann Foundation?
It seems you arrived with much trust and little information.
Friedrich Naumann is dead, but once he was not,
He lived a hundred years ago – yeah, that is a lot.
He fought for civil rights, education, and democracy,
This is until today our legacy."

This unique introduction set an engaging tone for the event, inviting everyone to immerse themselves in the themes of the program.

Participants connected through ice-breaking games, fostering camaraderie among attendees. A key highlight was the poetry competition briefings, which provided essential information for those eager to showcase their work.

The afternoon featured a panel discussion titled “Bridging the Poetic Divide,” exploring the intersections of slam, classic, and dialectal poetry. Following this, attendees enhanced their skills in creative writing workshops tailored for both Arabic and English tracks.

The day concluded with a delightful dinner, allowing participants to reflect on their experiences and continue building connections within the poetry community. It was truly a transformative day that celebrated the power of poetry and creativity!