Nairobi- This week sees the
fifth year of theSomali Week
Festivalin London, organised by theKaydSomali Arts and Culture
organisation. TheBritish Office for Somaliais
a proud sponsor of this event, which brings together poets, writers and
musicians from across Somalia to perform in the UK. This year’s artists
and performers include Mohamed Haashi Dhama ‘Gaarriye’, Abdinasir Ma’alin
Aydid, Dr Georgi Kapchits, Amin Amir, Saado Abdi Amarre, Ahmed Shiekh Jama,
Jama Kadiye and many more.
The theme of this
year’s Festival is translation. Translating the world’s literary
treasures is vital for everyone to learn about other cultures and ideas.
Unfortunately, there is a shortage of Somali works translated into
English, and vice versa. Among this year’s translations byRedsea-onlineare
Animal Farm by George Orwell, and a selection of short stories by Anton
Chekhov. A team of translators are also rendering the work of a number of
Somali poets into English.
You might be wondering
why an organisation like theForeign and
Commonwealth Officeis supporting a cultural event like this.
The answer is that diplomacy is always embedded in a cultural context.
It is impossible to be a fully effective diplomat unless you are engaged
in culture and the arts. Equally well, it is very difficult to make peace
where there is no music, theatre and books. Because it is often the poets
and singers and writers of this world who we rely on to remind us of our common
humanity, which transcends political or tribal or historical divisions.
Often where the
political environment is very highly charged, like it is in Somalia, it becomes
very hard to have an open debate around issues like conflict, security, and
terrorism. But by relating to fictional events and stories about the way
people live their lives, it is possible to access experiences that are common
to us all, regardless of clan or creed. And this is why literature plays
such an important role in helping to make sense of very complex and difficult
political situations in ways that everyone can understand and relate to, and
which ultimately brings people closer together.
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UK Senior Representative for Somalia 's blog
Matt Baugh Senior Representative for Somalia