90 Years after, KGS to celebrate Khalil Gibran with Poetry and Art Anthology

 90 YEARS AFTER, KGS TO CELEBRATE KHALIL GIBRAN WITH POETRY AND ART ANTHOLOGY

 The Khalil Gibran Society (KGS), with its Africa regional office in Nigeria in conjunction with the Society of Young Nigerian Writers (SYNW), Cedars Institute and the Gibran National Committee (GNC) in Lebanon are set to commemorate 90 years of Khalil Gibran’s death with Poetry and Art Anthology.

 

This was contained in a statement issued by Wole Adedoyin, KGS Africa regional Coordinator who is also one of the organizers of the project.

 

Kahlil Gibran (January 6, 1883 – April 10, 1931) was a Lebanese-American writer, poet and visual artist. He is best known as the author of The Prophet, which was first published in the United States in 1923 and has since become one of the best-selling books of all time, having been translated into more than 100 languages.

 

Kahlil Gibran was the key figure in a Romantic movement that transformed Arabic literature in the first half of the twentieth century. One of his books titled “The Prophet” provides timeless spiritual wisdom on a range of subjects, including giving, eating and drinking, clothes, buying and selling, crime and punishment, laws, teaching, time, pleasure, religion, death, beauty and friendship. Corresponding to each chapter are evocative drawings by Gibran himself.

 

Gibran explored literary forms as diverse as "poetry, parables, fragments of conversation, short stories, fables, political essays, letters, and aphorisms.

 

According to Adedoyin, “Year 2021 marks 90 years since the Late Khalil Gibran left this world. In order to celebrate 90 years of great impacts made by him and his numerous works, Khalil Gibran Society in collaboration with the Cedars Institute, Gibran National Committee in Lebanon and the Society of Young Nigerian Writers (SYNW) will soon call for entries in poetry and art works (mainly paintings and drawings) for its proposed poetry and art anthology in commemoration of 90 years of Khalil Gibran’s death”.

 

The press statement finally urged writers and artists across the globe to submit their entries once the call for entries is out.

 

PAWA Partners the UN on the SDG Book Club for Africa

 PAWA PARTNERS THE UN ON THE SDG BOOK CLUB FOR AFRICA

 

The Pan African Writers Association (PAWA) and other book sector organizations from the African continent have decided to augment the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Book Club with a collection of English, French, Arabic, Kiswahili as well as Indigenous African Language books about the different goals for children.

The book club will launch on World Book Day (23 April 2021) and will feature quality African books that deal with the themes of the SDGs. Submissions are open now for books written for children by African Writers in the above named languages at http://bit.ly/SDGBookClubAfrica . A selection committee formed by the different partners will pick a shortlist for each SDG.

Organizations interested in joining the initiative are invited to contact:

Welda Mouton, UNIC: mouton@un.org

Dr Wale Okediran, PAWA: waleokediran@yahoo.co.uk

Dr Wale Okediran

PAWA Secretary General

Hear what Prof Wole Soyinka says about the proposed ANA Ogun Dinner/Award Night

 

HEAR WHAT PROF WOLE SOYINKA SAYS ABOUT THE PROPOSED ANA OGUN DINNER/AWARD NIGHT

 A member of ANA Advisory Board and I interacted nearly a fortnight ago and I thought this was all straightened out DEFINITIVELY. Now enters this notification by a state chapter to an event in my honour. I consider it manipulative. Obviously some more astringent measures have become mandatory to insulate myself from this kind of abuse.

For now, kindly use all ANA Channels to make members understand that I am no party to this event . I never gave my consent to it, and thoroughly resent the insertion of my person into a very murky situation. As a matter of elementary courtesy, I would have thought that one's personal consent would be sought before being advertised as recipient of any honours anywhere in the world. This is BASIC USAGE in any culture  of mutual respect and under any circumstances. I am astonished that an association of creative minds would consider flouting such norms, even for one second. As the Nigerian saying goes: you do not try to shave a man's head in his absence. Simple!

I DEMAND, as of seriously considered choice, that I be kept out of any future projects, attributions and claims by no matter what ANA faction. I would hate to have to approach the courts for a restraining order in order to exercise my fundamental human rights.

I authorise the dissemination of this statement on all available fora.

 

Wole SOYINKA

SYNW and IHRAF’s ENDSARS National Poetry Anthology, ‘ENDSARS Rhythms’ has finally been released

 

SYNW AND IHRAF’S ENDSARS NATIONAL POETRY ANTHOLOGY, ‘ENDSARS RHYTHMS’ HAS FINALLY BEEN RELEASED

 

 

The Society of Young Nigerian Writers, SYNW, and the International Human Rights Art Festival, IHRAF has finally released the highly anticipated poetry anthology tagged ENDSARS RHYTHMS.

ENDSARS RHYTHMS is a product of SYNW and IHRAF’s keenly contested EndSARS National Poetry Competition that took place in the year 2020. SYNW and IHRAF has taken the bold step to publish some of the most outstanding entries received in the collation, selection, recognition and award of very remarkable pieces from deserving participants in the contest.

Literature and arts owe society the duty not just to entertain and educate but also to document the history of the people as well as mirror and x-ray the society. The collaborative efforts of the Society of Young Nigerian Writers, SYNW, and the International Human Rights Arts Festival, IHRAF, to harness the thoughts, feelings and responses of Nigerian artists as well as creative writers and the international writing community on the theme Police Brutality, Assault And Battery by organizing a national poetry contest tagged ‘EndSARS’ National Poetry Competition, 2020 is indeed timely and commendable.

Globally, police are notorious for their corrupt tendencies of bribery, extortion, high handedness, brutality and human rights abuses, sometimes leading to extra judicial killings. The Nigeria Police has not been an exception to this global anomaly. In 2017, a Twitter campaign using the hashtag ‘#ENDSARS’ by Nigerians to demand the disbanding of the Special Anti Robbery Squad, SARS unit of the Nigeria police by the Nigerian government started. In October, 2020, there were renewed calls for the disbandment of SARS generally. This time, the online and social media campaign championed by young Nigerians was followed by widespread protests, marches, demonstrations, online activism and civil disobedience in some cases.

Selecting few entries for award out of more than a hundred beautiful entries from very creative and talented poets across international borders is by no means an easy task. The pain of having to eliminate some fine entries to arrive, even at a Longlist of twenty, let alone a Shortlist, is by far one of the most excruciating and unsung aspects of the job of a judge and editor; especially, a contest whose central theme touches on a global and sensitive aspect of our shared humanity. It is therefore, a huge source of consolation to SYNW and IHRAF for the opportunity to publish additional pieces out of the vast pool of amazing entries received during the call for entries to the EndSARS National Poetry Competition in 2020.

SYNW and IHRAF are happy therefore, for this unique opportunity to make available for your reading pleasure, a significant number of pieces out of the more than a hundred entries we received. It is also hoped that this modest gesture will placate and further console additional number of writers who sent in entries for the competition. We also hope that this compilation provides a rich reading resource and reference material to a variety of readers.

 

To download your copy, kindly log on to https://ihraf.org/endsars-poetry-competition or https://endsarspoetryanthology.wordpress.com/2021/01/20/end-sars-rhythms-poetry-anthology-on-police-brutality-assaults-and-battery-finally-out/

SYNW Appoints Chidozie Somtochukwu as SYNW Coordinator in Abia State University (ABSU)

SYNW APPOINTS CHIDOZIE SOMTOCHUKWU AS SYNW COORDINATOR IN ABIA STATE UNIVERSITY (ABSU) 

The Society of Young Nigerian Writers (SYNW) has announced the appointment of Chidozie Somtochukwu as her Coordinator in Abia State University (ABSU).

In a statement made available to pressmen today, Wole Adedoyin, the National President of the Society of Young Nigerian Writers (SYNW) said, Chidozie Somtochukwu will be responsible for connecting students with SYNW resources, organizing monthly readings, workshops, competitions with support from individuals, corporate bodies and the National body, while also supporting them in ways that help promote reading culture in Abia State University (ABSU) and enhance their literary career.

In order to achieve SYNW aim of promoting creative writing and book reading among Nigerian students between the ages of 10 and 35 in our various universities, the Society of Young Nigerian Writers has again appointed Chidozie Somtochukwu as Coordinator of the young writers’ body in Abia State University (ABSU)

We look forward to seeing the initiatives that Chidozie Somtochukwu introduces and continues at the campus,” Adedoyin said.

Chidozie Somtochukwu Christiana is a blogger and writer. Born on the 11^th of March 1999. She is currently studying Public Health at the Abia State University (ABSU).

 

SYNW finally urges other students who are interested in starting SYNW Chapters in their various universities to send their Letter of expression of interest to woleadedoyin@gmail.com or Whatsapp @ 08072673852

https://societyofyoungnigerianwritersblog.blogspot.com/2020/09/synw-appoints-olugbuyiro-success-as.html

 

 

 

 

 

SYNW Appoints John Osatofo Ukhuakhua as SYNW Coordinator IN UNIBEN (University of Benin)

 

SYNW APPOINTS JOHN OSATOFO UKHUAKHUA AS SYNW COORDINATOR IN UNIBEN (UNIVERSITY OF BENIN)

 

In order to achieve SYNW aim of promoting creative writing and book reading among Nigerian students between the ages of 10 and 35 in our various universities, the Society of Young Nigerian Writers has appointed John Osatofo Ukhuakhua as Coordinator of the writers’ body in UNIBEN (University of Benin).

In a statement made available to pressmen today, Wole Adedoyin, the National President of the Society of Young Nigerian Writers (SYNW) said, John Osatofo Ukhuakhua will be responsible for connecting students with SYNW resources, organizing monthly readings, workshops, competitions with support from individuals, corporate bodies and the National body, while also supporting them in ways that help promote reading culture in UNIBEN (University of Benin) and enhance their literary career.

We look forward to seeing the initiatives that John Osatofo Ukhuakhua introduces and continues at the campus,” Adedoyin said.

SYNW finally urges other students who are interested in starting SYNW Chapters in their various universities to send their Letter of expression of interest to woleadedoyin@gmail.com or Whatsapp @ 08072673852

Society of Young Nigerian Writers (SYNW), is an umbrella organisation that was founded to promote creative writing and literary arts among writers based in Nigeria between the ages of 10 and 40. It was founded in 2010 at the former house of the Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka at the University of Ibadan. It was formerly known as the World of Poets and Literary Society.

Society of Young Nigerian Writers (SYNW) is a member of the International Authors Forum (IAF). It has also collaborated with different international organizations like Alliance Francaise (Nigeria), 100 Thousand Poets for Change (USA), Woman Scream International Poetry and Arts Festival (Italy), Girl Child Creativity (Zimbabwe) and lately International Human Rights Art Festival (USA).

In 2019, Society of Young Nigerian Writers (SYNW) was duly acknowledged and mentioned in a book titled “TEEN LIVES AROUND THE WORLD: A GLOBAL ENCYCLOPEDIA (2 VOLUMES)” edited by Karen Wells. The Society of Young Nigerian Writers (SYNW) was described as the only teen writers’ body in Nigeria.

SYNW provides a platform for young writers to meet and collaborate, enhance and hone their writing skills. SYNW also publish, promote and market the works of its members.