Call for submissions: Art of Unity Creative Award

 

ART OF UNITY CREATIVE AWARD

 

https://www.ihraf.org/art-of-unity-creative-award

The call for submissions for 2021 is now open. We accept literary (poetry; essays and short stories under 2500 words); video; music; dance; performance or visual work around the theme: "Never again: Remembering to heal and overcome." All pieces must be previously unpublished.

The most important hallmark of Holocaust remembrance and education is the phrase ‘never again.’ Unfortunately, tribal divisions, ethnic cleansing and genocides continue in the 21st Century. We are looking for submissions in any creative media (which can be exhibited online), and which highlight aspects of human unity, and positive cross-pollination between groups, ethnicities, religions and/or nations.

The work will be curated by a team from the IHRAF and Yahad-In Unum Mid-America.

Send submissions to hello@ihraf.org with the subject line: “Art of Unity Creative Award”. There is no entry fee for participation. Deadline for submission is September 30, 2021. Each artist may make one submission. There are three monetary prizes: 

• First Prize: $150
• Second Prize: $100
• Third Prize: $50
• Honorable Mention: 6 artists will have their work presented as part of the winners.

All winners and honorable mention recipients will be promoted via the International Human Rights Art Festival website, Facebook page, Instagram page, e-newsletter and through our media partnership with WNYC radio, the world's largest public radio station. Additionally, a selectio of the winners will be highlighted as part of the Art of Unity performance block at the IHRAF Festival, Wild Project Theater, East Village, NYC on Wednesday, December 8, 2021.

 

Osogbo Book Club Holds May Reading Tomorrow

 

OSOGBO BOOK CLUB MAY READING HOLDS TOMORROW

Osogbo Book Club (OBC) has set aside tomorrow, Saturday May 22, 2021 to host two Osogbo based writers, Olalere Fagbola and Haleemah Alli Bankole, in Osogbo, the capital of Osun State.

A statement by Godwin Grace, the Coordinator of the club, said the event would take place at the Unique Success Academy Annex, Behind WAEC Office, 2 Uncle K Street, Akinlade, Alekuwodo, Osogbo by 12PM prompt.

Olalere Fagbola is a seasoned and veteran journalist, with untiring passion for engaging in various forms of writing as he treats writing with serious devotion. As an accomplished author, biographer, poet, songwriter, writing prophetologist and publisher, Fagbola has authored and published no fewer than twenty books of his own authorship while he has edited great works of academics, educationists and biographies of more than thirty clerics at home and abroad. For his professional experience, he has worked with reputable media in Nigeria and served as media consultant to local, state, federal, private and international institutions while his poems and music have been broadcast in both the radio and television stations in Nigeria and Oversea.

Haleemah Alli Bankole holds a diploma in creative writing from Writers' Bureau Manchester. She is a graduate of Quantity Surveying and has a PGDE in view.

She has authored Children Literatures, a biography and a creative non-fiction on Caesarean births.

She organizes short story contests and had published 3 compilations of winning stories. She is also a publisher, educationist & youth mentor.

Some of her published books include: Knives & Nappies, A Fruitful tree, Fola- a little girl's story, the Wise king & other stories etc. She believes that the mind just like the body should eat right to stay health because what we read is food to the mind.

The forthcoming book reading event promises to be an avenue of book and poetry reading, Spoken words, book sales and signing, networking with fellow book readers and writers across the nooks and crannies of Osun State, the statement added.

Upcoming writers who have works in poetry, short stories and novels can also attend to read their works to fellow writers and readers. Membership forms and Certificate of Membership will be made available free of charge to the first timers.

Osogbo Book Club is an initiative of Society of Young Nigerian Writers. It was established by the Society in order to contribute its own quota towards the growth and development of Reading Culture in Osun State. Osogbo Book Club consists of group of people who get together, periodically meet to discuss the book they have read, and to exchange such books. The members of the club encourage each other, and learn to read with a critical awareness, articulating their opinions on a particular book with the others. Certain types of books not available or read receive attention through the book club.

For enquiry call: 08027854496

 

 

Caesarean Birthing is not a curse, it shouldn't be abused - Haleemah Alli Bankole

 

CAESAREAN BIRTHING IS NOT A CURSE, IT SHOULDN'T BE ABUSED - HALEEMAH ALLI BANKOLE

 

Haleemah Alli Bankole holds a Diploma in Creative Writing from Writers' Bureau Manchester. She is a graduate of Quantity Surveying and has a PGDE in view. She has authored Children Literatures, a biography and a creative non-fiction on Caesarean births. In this interview with Wole Adedoyin, she shares with him fact about her writing and publications.

 

WA: WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START WRITING?

 

BANKOLE: A need to express myself

 

WA: HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WRITING?

 

BANKOLE: Since I was an undergraduate

 

WA: WHEN DID YOU START WRITING?

 

BANKOLE: In the late 90's

 

WA: HAVE YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A WRITER?

 

BANKOLE: No

 

WA: WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE A NEW WRITER, SOMEONE JUST STARTING OUT?

 

BANKOLE: Write without thinking of profits

 

WA: HOW DO YOU HANDLE WRITER’S BLOCK?

 

BANKOLE: I take a break. Get back in a relaxed mood without distractions

 

WA: HOW MANY BOOKS HAVE YOU WRITTEN?

 

BANKOLE:  Nine Books

 

WA: WHAT IS THE MOST SURPRISING THING YOU DISCOVERED WHILE WRITING YOUR BOOK(S)?

 

BANKOLE: Intent research for nonfiction.

 

WA: WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE CHARACTER?

 

BANKOLE: Kike

 

WA: DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE CHARACTER THAT YOU HAVE WRITTEN? IF SO, WHO? AND WHAT MAKES THEM SO SPECIAL.

 

BANKOLE: Kike is special because I'm highly particular about teenagers and living a moral life

 

WA: WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR INSPIRATION?

 

BANKOLE: Life on campus

 

WA: WHERE CAN READERS PURCHASE YOUR BOOKS?

 

BANKOLE: Please visit: https://pen-publishers.whats.bz

 

 

WA: WHERE CAN READERS FIND OUT MORE ABOUT YOU AND YOUR BOOKS?

 

BANKOLE: Penpublishers.blogspot.com

 

WA: HAVE ANY OF YOUR BOOKS BEEN MADE INTO AUDIOBOOKS?

 

BANKOLE: No

 

WA: IF SO, WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES IN PRODUCING AN AUDIO BOOK?

 

BANKOLE: I haven't ventured into that

 

WA: WHICH OF YOUR BOOKS WERE THE MOST ENJOYABLE TO WRITE?

 

BANKOLE: The Wise king & other stories

 

WA: TELL US ABOUT YOUR FIRST PUBLISHED BOOK?

 

BANKOLE: 'Let's talk love' is a book of few texts that encourages a life of Abstinence before marriage.

 

WA: WHAT WAS THE JOURNEY LIKE?

 

BANKOLE: I only had to write then. I wasn't involved in the publishing process, so it was exciting.

 

WA: WHAT, IN YOUR OPINION, ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENTS OF GOOD WRITING?

 

BANKOLE: Writing from the heart and having the required skill.

 

WA: WHO'S YOUR FAVORITE AUTHOR OF ALL TIME?

 

BANKOLE: Umm Zakiyah

 

WA: YOUR FAVORITE BOOK BY HIM?

 

BANKOLE: Her, - If I should Speak

 

WA: ON YOUR LATEST BOOK TITLED, CAN YOU SHARE WITH US SOMETHING ABOUT THE BOOK.

 

BANKOLE: Knives & Nappies documents factual information on caesarean births from what to expect to doctors and patients experience.

 

WA: ARE THERE ANY SECRETS FROM THE BOOK, YOU CAN SHARE WITH YOUR READERS?

 

BANKOLE: No secrets really. Caesarean section information is readily available it's only the stigma and fear attached to it which the book aims to quell.

 

WA: WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION FOR THE STORY?

 

BANKOLE: Personal first experience which was shocking.

 

WA: WHAT IS THE KEY THEME AND/OR MESSAGE IN THE BOOK?

 

BANKOLE: Information is power. Caesarean birthing is not a curse, yet it shouldn't be abused

 

WA: WHAT DO YOU HOPE YOUR READERS TAKE AWAY FROM THIS BOOK?

 

BANKOLE: Better decision on making associated with Caesarean births

 

WA: WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE TITLE?

 

BANKOLE: Knives for the surgical knives and Nappies for babies surgically delivered.

 

WA: HAS A BOOK EVER CHANGED YOUR LIFE?

 

BANKOLE: Yes. Let us be Muslims by Sayyid Mawduddi

 

WA: WHAT GENRES DO YOU LOVE?

 

BANKOLE: Islamic fiction

 

WA: ARE THERE ANY GENRES YOU DISLIKE?

 

BANKOLE: Amorous genre

 

WA: WHAT AUTHOR (WHO IS STILL LIVING) WOULD YOU DEARLY LOVE TO MEET?

 

BANKOLE: Raheemah Odus

WA: DO YOU LIKE TO DISPLAY YOUR BOOKS ON A BOOKSHELF OR KEEP THEM IN A VIRTUAL LIBRARY?

 

BANKOLE: Both

 

WA: DO YOU PREFER FLASH FICTION, SHORT STORIES, NOVELLAS, OR NOVELS?

 

BANKOLE: Short stories

 

WA: WHAT BOOK CAN YOU RECOMMEND TO ME?

 

BANKOLE: A Fruitful Tree

 

WA: WHEN DID YOU LAST VISIT A LIBRARY?

 

BANKOLE: 2 years back

 

WA: HAVE YOU EVER HAD A CRUSH ON A BOOK CHARACTER?

 

BANKOLE: No

 

WA: HAS A BOOK EVER MADE YOU LAUGH OUT LOUD?

 

BANKOLE: Yes