Oxford House in Bethnal green in partnership with REDSEA-ONLINE.COM Language Culture and Heritage Foundation; Halabuur Centre for Culture and Communication in the Horn (HCCC); Africa Voluntary Youth Committee (HAVOYOCO) and range of national, international and local community organisations is pleased to present the Somali Week Festival as a part of Black History Month. The Festival will take place at Oxford House Oxford House, Derbyshire Street, Bethnal Green, London E2 6HG from 09th to 15th October 2008. Attracting over 2,000 people, the festival offers the best of Somali culture from old and new through an eclectic mix of events including, poetry, literature and music.
This year’s Somali Week Festival will focus on the Somali concept of 'GOBANNIMO'. Gobannimo is a very complex word and has a broad meaning including freedom and liberty, but also implying a dignified, coherent, independent, giving, tolerant, and respectful approach. In other words, it encompasses all that is good and achievable by free and responsible human beings. Gobannimo has an inherent sense of reaching an ultimate state of human responsibility and thus is very relevant to the interlinked notions of citizenship and freedom. Although it relates to personal development and individual dignity it is also at the heart of the many strands of current social and political thought which will be explored through art and literature. The festival will keep the focus on three disciplines: poetry, literature and music and this will be presented and discussed among artists and audiences.
We are proudly to expecting a range of guests including renowned Somali and non-Somali artists, academics and commentators:
Ali Sugule (poet, UAE), Abdiqaadir Abdi Shube (poet, Somalia), Ahmed Aw Geeddi (poet, Somaliland), Mahamed Dahir "Afrah" (Chair of Somali Pen, Djibouti), Abdi Mahamud Aamin (writer and educator, Djibouti), Yusuf Shaacir (poet, Somaliland), Nimco Deggan, (vocalist, UK) Abdikariim Raas (vocalist, UK), Prince Abdi ( Comedian, UK) Abdilahi Bootaan Kurweyne (Soohan Somali Arts/Poet, UK), Adan Tarabi (Poet, Somaliland), Martin Orwin (SOAS, UK), Boobe Yusuf Duale (writer, Academy for Peace and Development, Somaliland), Hassan Adan Samatar (vocalist, Netherlands), Jama Musse Jama (writer, Italy), Abdillahi Awed Egeh,( writer, UK), Ibraahin Yuusuf Axmed "Hawd" ( Writer, Sweden) Mahamed Hassan "Alto" (SOAS, UK), Qaboojiye (vocalist, UK) Jihaan(vocalist, UK) Mahamed Baashe (writer, UK) Aar (composer and vocalist, UK), Abdifitaah Yare( vocalist, UK) and many more.
We will highlight and explore not only the importance of tolerance but we will also promote the idea that only a free liberated individual can develop a culture of tolerance and deep sense of personal responsibility. The international aspect of the festival is an important part of our continued development and partnership work with artists and organisations in Somali speaking territories. Join us at the exceptional festival in order to celebrate and explore the uniqueness of Somali art and culture. For more information about the Festival’s Programme visite; http://www.oxfordhouse.org.uk/template.php?ID=173&PageName=somaliweekfestival2008 and http://www.redsea/- online.com/ swfhttp://www.redsea/- online.com/ bimgs/inside/ swf_468x60. gif"
or Call Ayan Mahamoud, the Festival Coordinator on 020 7749 1140 or e-mail: ayan.mahamoud@oxfordhouse.org.uk samotalis
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