Impenji / Events - 2005

Adrian Grima was recently invited to Belfast and Israel to read his poetry at international literary events. He also read an academic paper at the University of London about Fortress Europe and Its "Others": Cultural Representations in Film, Media and the Arts. (In picture with Khaled Katamish, director, El-Funoun, Ramallah)

Fortress Europe

Dr. Grima’s paper at the London conference, “Shoring Up Confidence on the Southern Flank: Negotiating Europe and the Immigrant Other in Maltese Literature,” focused on the issue of clandestine immigration in Malta and in the Mediterranean, with special reference to a short story in Maltese by Clare Azzopardi called “/No adjective describe story/” that was presented at the Klandestini Festival of Emerging Mediterranean Writers in November 2004.

He argued that for a number of Maltese, the arrival of these immigrants stands in opposition to Malta’s entry into what they perceive as an essentially “closed,” exclusivist EU, and membership is the ultimate acknowledgement of the fact that we are Christian Europeans, not Muslims and/or Africans.

Adrian Grima had the opportunity to join writers from Exiled Writers Ink! for an evening of poetry during which he read his poem “Qamar?” in Maltese and in English (translated by Maria Grech Ganado) at the Poetry Café in Covent Garden.

Between the Lines Literary Festival

On Friday 9 April 2005, Adrian Grima read his poetry at the Crescent Arts Centre in Belfast as part of the weeklong activities of the Between the Lines International Literary Festival organized by poet John Brown. He performed two of his poems, “Distanzi” and “Il-Forma ta' Mħabbtek,” translated into English by Maria Grech Ganado, together with the Maltese percussionist Renzo Spiteri who also gave a well-received solo performance.

The other writers on the night were Nora Nadjarian (Cyprus), Frederico Zanatta (Italy) and Pavlina Ferfelli (Greece). All four Mediterranean writers were invited to the Belfast festival after their participation in the Klandestini festival held in Malta in November 2004.

The festival featured a range of readings, talks, workshops, debates, music and more, from a host of local, national and international writers and performers in an eclectic, electric and challenging week. The other writers included, amongst others, the incorrigible DBC Pierre of Vernon God Little fame, and Northern Irish poets Sinéad Morrissey, and Ciaron Carson.

Adrian Grima's participation in the Between the Lines Festival was supported by The British Council and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.

Maghar International Poetry Festival in Galilee

After Belfast, Adrian Grima read his poetry in Maltese, with English, Arabic and Hebrew translations, at the Maghar International Poetry Festival held in April in Galilee coordinated by the Druze poet and academic, Dr. Naim Araidi.

On the first night, Adrian Grima read his poem “It-Traġedja ta' l-Iljunfant Li Ried Jidħol f'Gaġġa ta' l-Għasafar” in Maltese, while the acclaimed Israeli poet Ronny Someck read the translation in Hebrew. (With members of El-Funoun Palestinian Popular Dance Troupe in Ramallah, (from left) Najeh Masalma, Husain Aamar, Noora Baker, and Maher Shawamra.)

“Il-Forma ta' Mħabbtek,” which has been translated by Maria Grech Ganado, was read in English. Adrian Grima also read part of his poem “Ramallah,” which is inspired by the Palestinian dance troupe El-Funoun of Ramallah and their struggle against the Israeli occupation through dance and culture. This poem has just appeared in Ktieb għall-Ħruq, a collection of contemporary poetry and short stories by seventeen Maltese writers, edited by Adrian Grima, designed by Pierre Portelli and published by Inizjamed.

During a special event for teenager students, Adrian Grima read his poems “Ħallejt Ġenbejk fuq Ruħi” and “Tifel Bla Spirtu” in Maltese while Naim Araidi read the Arabic translations by Malta-based Palestinian Walid Nabhan which were well-received by the mainly Arabic-speaking audience.

Youth and Racism

On Thursday, 13 May, at 8.30pm, Adrian Grima will be reading his poetry during the weeklong “Youth and Racism” series of events organized by The Arts Collective at the Labyrinth in Valletta. This initiative aims to foster tolerance, social inclusion and respect for diversity.

4 May 2005