Tag: Yemen in Conflict

We are pleased to announced the launch of our new publication Tomorrow Will Shine: Poems of War and Hope from the “Yemen in Conflict” Project.

Download a PDF version of the book: Tomorrow Will Shine

Edited by Hamdan Dammag, Taher Qassim and Deryn Rees-Jones, the book brings together poems written by 20 Yemeni poets as part of the ongoing Yemen in Conflict project.

The poems were written in response to a series of creative writing workshops for the project co-ordinated by the Liverpool Arab Arts Festival between 2019 – 2021. The project was prompted by work done in association with the Universities of Liverpool and Leeds, and funded initially by the British Academy, and later Arts Council England.

Tomorrow Will Shine: Poems of War and Hope from the “Yemen in Conflict” Project
Edited by Hamdan Dammag, Taher Qassim and Deryn Rees-Jones
Printed by Liverpool Arab Arts Festival
72 pages
ISBN: 978-1-3999-2917-2
Cover (pictured above)       

Poets included in the book:

Maliha Al-Assadi
Abdel Hakim Al-Qazi
Yousef Alshamiri
Haneen Ali
Maysoon Aleryani
Ahmed Alkholaidi
Salim Alshaayee
Ali Alsowrqi
Khaled Alshameri
Belqis Mohammed Alwan
Amina Atiq
Hamdan Dammag
Shadia Mohamed Hamood
Saba Hamza
Rasheed Nagi
Abdulkader Sabri
Sara Rahman
Janet Watson
Amerah Saleh
Ahmed Zaabar


Order Tomorrow Will Shine: Poems of War and Hope from the “Yemen in Conflict” Project.


Please note that book orders are processed and posted in the first week of each month. We will email to confirm once your book has been posted. Unfortunately, we are currently unable to post books to Yemen.

As part of the Yemen in Conflict project, Liverpool Arab Arts Festival (LAAF) in partnership with Writing on the Wall brought together four Yemeni female poets, from the UK and Yemen, to explore the conflict through a female poet lens.

Yemeni Female Poetry Book – Read the poems performed here

Yemen in Conflict is an ongoing project between LAAF, the University of Liverpool and the University of Leeds. The project has involved people who are passionate about Yemen, its poetry and spoken word. Through several workshops that took place throughout the UK and Yemeni community, a series of commissioned poem films and a documentary film, the project was designed to inform people globally about Yemen and its conflict through poetry and art.

At this digital event, the four poets had an opportunity to share their poetry and experiences and to listen to each other in front of a live audience.

Each of the four poets read two of her favourite poems that she has created about the conflict in Yemen. The event will be moderated by a Yemeni female in the UK so that she can direct questions from the audience to the relevant poet either in Yemen or the UK. At the end of the event there will be a Q&A session.

Artist Biographies

Amerah Saleh is a spoken word artist born and bred from Birmingham. Her Muslim Yemeni roots give her space to get lost and found on multiple occasions between identity. She is the Co-Founder of Verve Poetry Press and a General Manager at Beatfreeks. Amerah has performed all around Europe and has released her first collection called “I Am Not From Here” in April 2018. Her work touches on identity, womanhood, religion and the obscure idea of belonging only to one place

Amina Atiq is a Yemeni-scouse published poet, award-winning community activist and performance artist. A BBC Words First 2019 Finalist and Young Associate for Curious Minds. Poet in Residence for Queensland Poetry Festival 2020-21 and Metal Southend. She is currently writing her solo show, Broken Biscuits to explore her grandmothers 1970s Yemeni-British household. In 2020, she produced a short documentary, Unheard Voices, commissioned by DadaFest capturing the stories of Yemeni shopkeepers in Liverpool. Unheard Voices was later broadcasted on Belgees TV and translated in Arabic.She is working on a new online and print project, Scouse Pilgrimage commissioned by Unity Theatre. Upcoming publications found at Sutton Manor, Speaking Volumes and Cordite Poetry Review.

Maliha Al-Asaadi is a poet and writer in Sana’a, Yemen. She is the Executive Director of the Wujoh Foundation, a not for profit organisation working for peace in Yemen. She is also President of the Salam Foundation for Humanitarian Response and Development. Her publications include: “A woman’s identity” (2006), “Windows of silence” (2009) and “So the clouds told me” (2020).

Maysoon Aleryani is an award-winning poet and journalist from Yemen. She was born in Sana’a. Her publications include “Tricks” (2016), “The Mysterious side of paradise” (2013), “Madad” (2010), “I’ll Penetrate the Sky” (2009).  Her awards include “Tulliola- Renato Filippelli” Poetry prize, Italy (2021), “Al-Maqaleh prize for Arabic literature – poetry” (2013). She holds the title of poetry in the Arab World (2010) through a referendum by Poets without borders league and the “President’s Prize for Young Poets” (2009)

Moderator

Nawal Al-Maghafi is an award-winning BBC Special Correspondent. She has been reporting on the Middle East since 2012. Over the past six years, she has been one of the few journalists conducting firsthand reporting of the ongoing conflict in Yemen; travelling extensively throughout the country.

الشعر النسوي اليمني:

الأربعاء 19 مايو 2021 (3 – 4:30 بعد الظهر بتوقيت المملكة المتحدة، 5 – 6:30 بتوقيت اليمن) 

المتابعة عبرالانترنت (زوم)

ضمن مشروع “الصراع في اليمن” يقدم مهرجان ليفربول للفنون والثقافة العربية أربع شاعرات يمنيات من المملكة المتحدة واليمن لاستطلاع الصراع بعيون نسوية.

يعتبر مشروع “الصراع في اليمن” مشروعاً مستمراً بين مهرجان ليفربول للفنون والثقافة العربية وكل من جامعتي ليدز وليفربول. عمل المشروع على إشراك العديد من المهتمين باليمن، الشعر اليمني والكلمة المحكية. قام المشروع بالتعريف باليمن والصراع الدائر فيه على مستوى العالم من خلال الشعر والفن، وأقام عدداً من ورشات العمل في جميع أرجاء المملكة المتحدة ومع الجالية اليمنية، بالإضافة الى سلسلة من الأفلام الشعرية وفيلماً وثائقياً.  

https://www.arabartsfestival.com/yemen-in-conflict/

سيتاح للشاعرات الأربع فرصة مشاركة اشعارهن وتجاربهن، والاستماع لبعضهن البعض أمام الجمهور مباشرة. 

ستقوم كل شاعرة بقراءة قصيدتين من قصائدها المفضلة التي كتبتها حول الصراع في اليمن. ستدار الفعالية من قبل سيدة يمنية مقيمة في المملكة المتحدة وذلك لتوجيه الأسئلة من الجمهور الى الشاعرات سواء في اليمن أو في المملكة المتحدة. وستعقد جلسة أسئلة وأجوبة في نهاية الفعالية.

نبذة عن الشاعرات المشاركات: 

أميرة صالح: فنانة في الكلمة المحكية، ولدت وترعرعت في بيرمنغهام. منحتها جذورها اليمنية والأسلامية مساحة للفقد والعثورعلى الهوية مرات متعددة. شاركت في تأسيس “فيرف بوتري بريس”، كما تشغل منصب مديرعام في “بيتفريكس”. جالت أميرة بشعرها في كافة أرجاء أوروبا، كما نشرت مجموعتها الأولى “أنا لست من هنا” إبريل 2018. يتطرق شعر أميرة الى قضايا الهوية، الأنوثة، الدين، وضبابية الانتماء إلى مكان واحد.

آمنة عتيق: شاعرة يمنية من ليفربول، تكتب أشعارها بلهجة مدينة ليفربول. حاصلة على جوائز كناشطة اجتماعية وفنانة استعراضية. آمنة وصلت الى المراكز النهائية في (BBC, Words First ) وهي مساعدة شابه (Young Associate) لمنظمة  Curious Minds

كما أنها شاعرة مقيمة لمهرجان (Queensland Poetry) للأعوام 2020 -2021 ومهرجان (Metal Southend). تقوم آمنة بكتابة عرضها الانفرادي Broken Biscuits لاستطلاع أوضاع الجدات اليمنيات في العائلات البريطانية اليمنية في أعوام السبعينيات. في عام 2020 أنتجت آمنة وثائقياً قصيراً بعنوان “أصوات غير مسموعة” بتكليف من منظمة (DadaFest) نقلت فيه قصص أصحاب المحال اليمنيين في ليفربول، وقد تم عرضه لاحقاً في تلفزيون “بلقيس”، وترجم إلى اللغة العربية. 

تعمل آمنة حالياً على مشروع مطبوع وعبرالانترنت بعنوان ” Scouse Pilgrimage” بتكليف من (Unity Theatre). يمكنكم متابعة إصداراتها القادمة في المجلات التالية:  Sutton Manor, Speaking Volumes  وCordite Poetry Review. 

مليحة الأسعدي: شاعرة وكاتبة مقيمة في صنعاء، اليمن. تشغل مليحة منصب المدير التنفيذي لمؤسسة وجوه، وهي مؤسسة غير ربحية تعمل من أجل السلام في اليمن. كما ترأس مؤسسة السلام للتطوير والاستجابة الإنسانية. من إصداراتها: هوية امرأة (2006)، “نوافذ الصمت” (2009)، و”هكذا حدثني الغيم” (2020)

ميسون الإرياني: شاعرة وصحفية من اليمن حاصلة على عدد من الجوائز. ولدت في صنعاء. من إصداراتها: “حِيَل” (2016)، “الموارب من الجنة” (2013)، “مدد” (2010)، “سأثقب بالعاشقين السماء” (2009). من الجوائز التي حصلت عليها: جائزة الشعر توليولا ريناتو فيلبي الإيطالية للشعر العالمي (2021(، جائزة المقالح  للأدب العربي في مجال الشعر (2013). تحمل لقب “شاعر العام” عبر التصويت من قبل رابطة شعراء بلا حدود (2010)، وجائزة رئيس الجمهورية للشعراء الشباب، اليمن (2009).  

إدارة الفعالية

نوال المقحفي: مراسلة خاصة في هيئة الإذاعة البريطانية (بي بي سي)، وحائزة على عدد من الجوائز. محررة في قسم أخبار الشرق الأوسط منذ العام 2012. هي واحدة من الصحفيين القلائل الذين قاموا بنقل تقارير صحفية مباشرة من أرض الصراع الدائر في اليمن، وتنقلت بشكل مكثف في أرجاء البلاد.

LAAF is honoured to be participating in Liverpool Black History Month with our partners at Creative Organisations of Liverpool (COoL) 

We will present Yemen in Conflict alongside the University of Leeds and the University of Liverpool, a project that explores how Yemeni literature and poetry can be safeguarded, and how it can further the understanding of the situation in Yemen. Whether they evoke the iconic streets of Sana’a in Yemen, or Liverpool, the commissioned works for the project are part of a ‘living archive’ that speaks to the experiences of Yemenis living in Britain today.

 www.cultureliverpool.co.uk/yemen-in-conflict/

You can read LAAF’s statement on Black Lives Matter, from 11 June 2020, here.

Liverpool Black History Month
Culture Liverpool is proud to be supporting Liverpool Black History Month 2020, which this year is more vital than ever. The Black Lives Matter protests in response to the racist killing of George Floyd and the Coronavirus pandemic have laid bare deep structural inequalities. Black communities and anti-racists across the globe are demanding change. Creative Organisations of Liverpool (COoL) and partners recognise the role that the arts can play in affecting that change. We have come together to promote equality and justice through a range of art forms and to stand in solidarity with all of our communities facing racial discrimination.

Liverpool, with the oldest continuous black community in Europe, has a vibrant heritage, enriched by successive waves of immigration. BHM2020 shines a light on the city’s history but, like the Liver Bird, it looks out across the Atlantic for international connections. BHM2020 will celebrate the artistic excellence of the diaspora. African Superheroes will dance to Brazilian beats, Calypso is arriving on the Empire Windrush, The Sankofa bird will take flight and sculptor Faith Bebbington will protest with plants. Poetry chimes to Afro beats and Latin sounds. The Chinese Youth Orchestra, representing a community at the sharp end of Coronavirus inspired bigotry, reflects on quarantine though a musical fusion of east and west. Travelling back in time, BHM2020 will lead us through the riot torn streets of 1919 and into the heart of the slave trading capital of Europe. Booker prize winner Marlon James is Zooming in from America with Afrofuturist Ytasha Womack, bringing the WoW factor to BHM2020.

ON RECORD – Untold & Retold celebrates, honours and showcases black music on Merseyside through performance, exclusive content and debate.

BHM2020 is a celebration for everyone, good for your soul and good for society. We look forward to seeing you throughout October.

Creative Organisations of Liverpool would like to thank Mayor of Liverpool and Culture Liverpool for supporting this programme and all of our partners who have come together to celebrate Black History Month 2020.

#BHM2020 #BlackLivesMatter

We are pleased to announce that the four commissioned poemfilms for the Yemen in Conflict project will be screened on Friday 25 September at Casa Árabe, Madrid, Spain.

The screening is part of Casa Árabe’s film series devoted to Yemeni cinema, which is happening at the same time as a photography exhibition by Thana Faroq and Shaima al Tamimi.

Since it was founded in 2006, Casa Árabe has worked to achieve the goal of building bridges, strengthening bilateral and multilateral political relations, promoting and assisting with economic, cultural and educational relations, and providing training and furthering understanding about the Arab and Muslim world.

To watch the films and find out more, visit www.arabartsfestival.co.uk/yemen-in-conflict

Yemen in Conflict Poemfilms

For Liverpool Arab Arts Festival’s digital festival, we are delighted to present newly commissioned poemfilms (video works combining poetry and film) by Olivia Furber, Mariam Al-Dhubhani and Diyala Muir, created in response to original poems by contemporary Yemeni poets Ahmed Alkhulaidi, Amina Atiq and Hamdan Damaag.

You can watch the poemfilms, and read an essay by Deryn Rees-Jones, on the Yemen in Conflict project page – please click the image below:

Yemen in Conflict: The role of popular literature in conflict resolution

The next poetry workshop will be hosted by Ahmed Alkhulaidi at: Channel View Centre Jim Driscoll Way Grangetown, Cardiff, CF11 7HB.

The workshop will take place on Saturday 16th November 2019 from 14:00 to 16:00.

We encourage anyone who is interested in poetry and spoken word to come along and get involved in the local workshop. Spaces are limited to twelve participants, so be sure to sign up soon. If you require further information or are interested, please send an email to Taher Qassim at taherqassim@gmail.com.

About the project

The University of Liverpool and the University of Leeds, in collaboration with the Liverpool Arab Arts Festival, are looking for people who are passionate about Yemen, its poetry and spoken word. We are producing a series of poetry workshops throughout the UK, working with the Yemeni community. The work created from these workshops will be used as part of a multimedia exhibition that will launch at the Liverpool Arab Arts Festival in 2020.

The workshops will be hosted by a local poet from each city in which the workshop will take place. The poet in that city will use works collected from Yemeni poets concerning the topic of conflict and its resolution as an inspiration to start the workshop. The poet and the project lead will facilitate the session to encourage responses from participants attending the workshop, using the spoken and written word to create new bodies of work. In this way, the work produced locally, nationally and internationally will create a dialogue about the situation in Yemen through poetry and spoken word.