Inizjamed Blue White@0.5x
Festival Mediterranju tal-Letteratura ta Malta / Malta Mediterranean Literature Festival
Awturi 2018

Awturi 2018

Juana Adcock (Mexico/UK) | Clare Azzopardi (Malta) | Massimo Barilla (Italy)Aslı Erdoğan (Turkey) | Jean-Rémy Gandon (France) Arjan Hut (Ljouwert, Netherlands)Laia López Manrique (Spain)Caldon Mercieca (Malta) | Teodor Reljić (Malta) | Philip Sciberras (Malta) | Sjón (Iceland) | Ali Thareb (Bābil, Iraq)


Juana Adcock

Juana Adcock
(Ritratt ta’ Dirk Skiba Fotografie)

Juana Adcock (il-Messiku/ir-Renju Unit) hija poeta u traduttriċi li tikteb bl-Ingliż u l-Ispanjol. It-traduzzjonijiet u l-poeżiji tagħha fuq il-lingwa, il-komunikazzjoni, il-migrazzjoni, l-identità u l-vjolenza dehru f’diversi pubblikazzjonijiet bħal Magma Poetry, Shearsman, Asymptote u Words Without Borders. L-ewwel ktieb tagħha, Manca, jesplora l-anatomija tal-vjolenza, fil-gwerra kontra d-droga fil-Messiku u ntgħażel mill-kritiku awtorevoli ta’ Reforma Sergio González Rodríguez bħala wieħed mill-aqwa kotba tal-poeżiji ppubblikati fl-2014. Fl-2016 kienet magħżula bħala waħda mill-“Għaxar Ilħna Ġodda mill-Ewropa” mill-organizzazzjoni Literature Across Frontiers. Juana Adcock tgħix Glasgow.

Juana Adcock (Mexico/UK) is a poet and translator working in English and Spanish. Her translations and poems on language, communication, migration, identity and violence have appeared in numerous publications such as Magma Poetry, Shearsman, Asymptote and Words Without Borders, among others. Her first book, Manca, explores the anatomy of violence in the Mexican drug war and was named by Reforma‘s distinguished critic Sergio González Rodríguez as one of the best poetry books published in 2014. In 2016 she named one of the ‘Ten New Voices from Europe’ by the organization Literature Across Frontiers. She lives in Glasgow.


Clare Azzopardi

Clare Azzopardi_pic by Giola Cassar
Clare Azzopardi
(Ritratt ta’ Giola Cassar)

Clare Azzopardi (Malta, 1977) hija kittieba rebbieħa ta’ bosta premjijiet li tikteb kemm għat-tfal kif ukoll għall-kbar. Hi l-Kap tad-Dipartiment tal-Malti fil-kulleġġ post-sekondarju fl-Università ta’ Malta u kienet membru attiv ta’ Inizjamed għal diversi snin. Xogħolha ġie tradott f’diversi lingwi u deher f’numru ta’ ġabriet. Id-dramm tagħha L-Interdett Taħt is-Sodda kien ippubblikat bil-Franċiż (Éditions Théâtrales, 2008) u bl-Għarbi (I-ACT, 2009). L-aħħar ġabra ta’ novelli tagħha Kulħadd Ħalla Isem Warajh ġiet ippubblikata fil-Kroazja (VBZ, 2017) u l-Ungerija (Noran Libro, 2018). Clare Azzopardi ħadet sehem f’diversi festivals u fl-2015 ntgħażlet bħala waħda mill-Ilħna Ġodda Ewropej. L-ewwel rumanz tagħha għall-adulti Castillo (Merlin Publishers) ħareġ fl-2018. www.clareazzopardi.com

Clare Azzopardi (Malta, 1977) is an award-winning writer who writes for both children and adults. She is the Head of Department of Maltese at the University of Malta Junior College and she was an active member of Inizjamed for several years. Her work has been translated into several languages and has appeared in a number of collections. Her play L-Interdett Taħt is-Sodda was published in French (Éditions Théâtrales, 2008) and in Arabic (I-ACT, 2009). Her latest collection of stories Kulħadd ħalla isem warajh was published in Croatia (VBZ, 2017) and Hungary (Noran Libro, 2018). Clare Azzopardi took part in several festivals and in 2015 she was chosen as one of Europe’s New Voices. Her first novel for adults Castillo (Merlin Publishers) was published in 2018.


Massimo Barilla

Massimo Barilla_2
Massimo Barilla
(Ritratt ta’ Marco Costantino)

Massimo Barilla hu drammaturgu, poeta, kittieb tal-iskritti tal-films u direttur. Huwa jmexxi t-Teatru Mana Chuma, li għalih huwa kiteb u idderiġa bosta spettakli. Fost id-drammi li kiteb, hemm Spine (2003, finalista fil-premju Ustica għat-teatru), Di terra e di sangue (2005, Spettaklu uffiċjali għaċ-Ċentenarju taċ-CGIL), ’70voltesud (2007, li ntuża għall-episodju monografiku fuq ir-Rivoluzzjoni ta’ Reggio Calabria fl-1970 minn Rai Storia), u Come un granello di sabbia/Giuseppe Gulotta, storia di un innocente (2016 magħżul għall-Premju In-box blu). 

Għaċ-ċinema hu kiteb u dderiġa l-film 26 settembre 1970 / il cielo limpido mnebbaħ mid-dramm ’70voltesud. Kiteb ukoll is-suġġett u l-iskritt tal-film twil Primula Rossa, li se joħroġ dalwaqt. Kien ukoll il-vuċi narrattiva f’Il canto dei nuovi emigranti, xogħol  taż-żewġ diretturi Kalabriżi tad-dokumentarji rebbieħa Felice D’Agostino u Arturo Lavorato. Il-film ġie kklassifikat bħala l-aħjar dokumentarju fil-Festival tal-Film ta’ Turin ’05 u fil-Festival tal-Film ta’ Bellaria ’06.

Barilla ssemma mir-rivista Franċiża Frictions fost l-aktar 10 awturi Taljani importanti fejn jidħol l-impenn ċivili. Huwa awtur ta’ bosta novelli u poeżiji mhux ippubblikati bit-Taljan u bid-djalett Kalabriż. Kien ukoll direttur tat-Teatro Siracusa tar-Reggio Calabria u jmexxi t-taqsima kulturali tal-Fondazzjoni Horcynus Orca.

Massimo Barilla is a playwright, poet, screenwriter and director. He directs Mana Chuma Theatre, for which he has written and / or directed numerous productions. These include Spine (2003, finalist for the Ustica theatre award), Di terra e di sangue (2005, official production for the Centenary of CGIL), ’70voltesud (2007, used for a monographic episode on the Rivolta di Reggio Calabria of 1970 by Rai Storia), and Come un granello di sabbia/Giuseppe Gulotta, storia di un innocente (2016 Blue In-box selection Award).

For the cinema he wrote and directed the film 26 settembre 1970 / il cielo limpido taken from the theatre production ’70voltesud. He has written the subject and screenplay of a feature film called Primula Rossa, soon to be released. He was also a narrator for the two award-winning Calabrian documentary filmmakers Felice D’Agostino and Arturo Lavorato of Il canto dei nuove emigranti that won best documentary film in the Torino Film Festival ’05 and Bellaria Film Festival ’06.

Barilla was mentioned by the French magazine Frictions among the 10 most important Italian authors for his civil commitment. He is the author of numerous unpublished short stories and poems in Italian and in the Calabrian dialect. He also directed the Teatro Siracusa of Reggio Calabria and is in charge of the cultural section of the Horcynus Orca Foundation.

Massimo BarillaDrammaturgo, poeta, sceneggiatore e regista. Dirige Mana Chuma Teatro, per cui ha scritto e/o diretto numerosi spettacoli. Tra questi Spine (2003, finalista premio Ustica per il teatro), Di terra e di sangue (2005, Spettacolo ufficiale del Centenario CGIL), ’70voltesud (2007, utilizzato per una puntata monografica sulla Rivolta di Reggio Calabria del 1970 da Rai Storia), Come un granello di sabbia /Giuseppe Gulotta, storia di un innocente (Premio selezione In-box blu 2016).

Per il cinema ha scritto e diretto il film 26 settembre 1970 / il cielo limpido tratto dallo spettacolo teatrale ’70voltesud. Ha scritto soggetto e sceneggiatura del lungometraggio Primula Rossa, di prossima uscita. E’ stato inoltre voce narrante per i due pluripremiati documentaristi calabresi Felice D’Agostino e Arturo Lavorato de Il canto dei nuovi emigranti, miglior documentario Torino Film Festival ‘05 e Bellaria Film Festival ’06.

Citato dalla rivista francese Frictions tra i 10 più importanti autori italiani di impegno civile. E’ autore di numerosi racconti e poesie inedite in italiano e in dialetto calabrese. Ha diretto inoltre il Teatro Siracusa di Reggio Calabria ed è responsabile dell’area culturale della Fondazione Horcynus Orca.


Aslı Erdoğan

BYÜKimagehp(1).jpg
Aslı Erdoğan

Aslı Erdoğan (Stambul, 1967) studjat l-inġinerija tal-kompjuter (B.Sc. fl-1988) u l-fiżika (M.Sc. fl-1993) fl-Università tal-Bosforu. Ħadmet bħala riċerkatriċi tal-fiżika fis-CERN (European Laboratory of High Energy Physics) fl-1991-92 u hemmhekk lestiet it-teżi tagħha fuq il-Higgs particle. Fl-1994 bdiet id-Dottorat fuq il-Higgs fil-PUC, il-Brażil, imma waqfet mill-istudju tax-xjenza sena wara.

L-ewwel ktieb tagħha, ir-rumanz bl-isem ta’ The Shell Man, ħareġ fl-1994 meta kienet għadha l-Brażil. Fl-1996 reġgħet lura t-Turkija u ppubblikat it-tieni ktieb tagħha, The Miraculous Mandarin. Saret magħrufa l-aktar bir-rumanz The City in Crimson Cloak (1998). Inkitbu ħafna riċensjonijiet ta’ dan ir-rumanz, fosthom fit-Turkija, l-Ewropa u l-Istati Uniti, u aktar minn 200 artiklu. Ir-rumanz, ambjentat f’Rio di Janiero, ħareġ bil-Franċiż (Actes Sud, 2003), in-Norveġiż (Gyldendal, MARG series, 2004), il-Ġermaniż (Turkish Library, 2008, u ngħata l-premju għall-aħjar traduzzjoni mit-Tork), il-Bożnijaku (BUYBOOK), l-Għarbi, il-Bulgaru, l-Iżvediż, u b’diversi lingwi oħra, fosthom l-Ingliż (Soft Skull, USA).

Fl-1998 bdiet tikteb kolonna fir-rivista intellettwali Radikal. F’din il-kolonna, bl-isem ta’ “L-Oħrajn”, iddiskutiet suġġetti tabù bħall-ħabsijiet, it-tortura, il-kwistjoni tal-Kurdi, u d-drittijiet tan-nisa. Din il-kolonna ġabitilha kemm fama, kif ukoll inkwiet, u fl-2001 keċċewha mir-rivista.

Wara perjodu ta’ silenzju, li fih kellha tħabbat wiċċha ma’ theddid fuq ħajjitha, ippubblikat ktieb ta’ poeproża, In the Silence of Life, li ngħata l-Premju tal-Ktieb tas-Sena (DUNYA). Ġabret is-saġġi tagħha fi tliet kotba The Diary of a Mad Woman, When a Journey Ends, u Once Again, li nqalbu f’iktar minn tnax-il lingwa. Fl-2010, reġgħet bdiet tikteb f’Radikal imma reġgħu keċċewha. Imbagħad bdiet tikteb kolonna fil-gazzetta Kurda Özgür Gündem u minħabba f’hekk spiċċat eżiljata fi Graz, l-Awstrija.

Aslı Erdoğan ipparteċipat ukoll f’wirjiet bħala “artista kittieba” u kkollaborat ma’ artisti oħra bħal Ghada Amer u Francois Daireaux. It-testi tagħha ġew addattati għat-teatru (produzzjoni li ttellgħet f’La Scala ta’ Milan), it-teatru taż-żfin, il-ballet klassiku, ir-radju u l-film (fi Franza). Ħajjitha ġiet irrakkontata f’dokumentarju minn Osman Okkan li jittratta l-ħajja ta’ sitt awturi oħra, fosthom Orhan Pamuk u Yasher Kemal.

L-aħħar ktieb tagħha, The Stone Building, rebaħ il-premju l-iktar prestiġjuż tal-letteratura Sait Faik, fit-Turkija fl-2010, u bħalissa qiegħed jinqaleb għall-Iżvediż, in-Norveġiż u l-Franċiż.

Aslı Erdoğan (Istanbul, 1967) studied computer engineering (B.S. In 1988) and physics (M.S. In 1993) at Bosphorus University. She worked as a research physicist at CERN (European Laboratory of High Energy Physics) in 1991-92 and completed her thesis in Higgs particle there. In 1994 she started her Ph.d on Higgs at PUC (Brazil) but quit science a year later.

Her first book, a novel named The Shell Man was published in 1994 while she was still in Brazil. She returned to Turkey in 1996 and published her second book The Miraculous Mandarin. But her major ‘breakthrough’ came in 1998 with The City in Crimson Cloak, a book which received rave reviews in Turkey, Europe and the US, with over 200 articles. The novel set in Rio de Janeiro was published in French (Actes Sud, 2003), in Norwegian (Gyldendal, MARG series, 2004), German (sverlag, Turkish Library, 2008, and received an award for best translation from Turkish), Bosnian (BUYBOOK), Arabic, Bulgarian, Swedish (Ramus), and various other languages, including English (Soft Skull, USA).

In 1998, she started to write a column in the intellectual paper, Radikal. Her column, ‘the Others’, in which she touched taboo subjects such as prisons, torture, the Kurdish issue, and womens’ rights, brought her both fame and trouble, and she was fired in 2001.

After a long silence, in which she had to face a lynching campaingn, she published a book of poetic prose, In the Silence of Life, and received DUNYA, The Book of the Year Award. She collected her essays, which have been translated into more than a dozen languages, in three books: The Diary of a Mad Woman, When a Journey Ends, and Once Again. In 2010, she returned to Radikal but was fired again. She started to write a column for Özgür Gündem, the Kurdish paper. As a result she is currently in exile, in Graz, Austria.

Asli Erdogan has also participated in exhibitions as a ‘writing artist’, and collaborated with artists such as Ghada Amer and Francois Daireaux. Her texts were adapted to theatre (performed at La Scala, Milan), dance theatre, classical ballet, radio and film (in France). Her life was turned into a documentary by Osman Okkan which deals with six writers, including Orhan Pamuk and Yashar Kemal.

Her latest book The Stone Building received the most prestigious literary award, Sait Faik, in Turkey in 2010, and is currently being translated into Swedish, Norwegian and French.


Jean-Rémy Gandon

Jean-Rémi Gandon_pic 2
Jean-Rémy Gandon

Jean-Rémy Gandon (Franza, 1970) joqgħod u jaħdem f’Toulouse fi Franza u hu missier ta’ żewġt itfal. Waqt li kien qed jistudja l-Filosofija l-Università, kors li baqa’ ma lestiehx, iltaqa’ mal-awtur u poeta magħruf minn Toulouse Serge Pey. Gandon reġa’ beda jikteb tliet snin ilu wara waqfa ta’ iktar minn għoxrin sena. Hu jipprattika wkoll il-fotografija, il-mużika u t-teatru. Fl-2017 ħa sehem fil-Festival Internazzjonali tal-Poeżija ta’ Tanta fl-Eġittu. Xi testi letterarji tiegħu dehru fir-rivisti Mange-Monde u Teste. Għalissa Jean-Rémy Gandon mhux qiegħed jaħseb biex jippubblika ktieb bil-poeżijij tiegħu. Bħalissa qed jipprova jsib melodija ġejja minn xi mkien taħt l-art u/jew mill-għoli tas-siġar. https://jrgandon.wixsite.com/monsite

Jean-Rémy Gandon was born in 1970. He lives and works in Toulouse, France and he is a father of two. During his unfinished studies in philosophy he met Serge Pey. Gandon started writing again more than three years ago, after an absence of more than twenty years. He practises photography, music and theatre. In 2017, he participated in the International Poetry Festival in Tanta, Egypt. Some of his writings were published in magazines such as Mange-Monde and Teste. He confesses that at the moment he is not thinking of publishing his works. He is trying to find melodies hidden underground and/or high in the trees. https://jrgandon.wixsite.com/monsite

Jean-Rémy Gandon ; né en 1070 ; vit et travaille à Toulouse, France ; père de deux enfants ; études inabouties de philosophie durant lesquelles il rencontre Serge Pey ; a repris l’écriture il y a plus de trois ans après plus de 20 d’arrêt ; quelques pratiques de photographie, de musique, de théâtre ; participation au festival international de poésie de Tanta en Egypte, 2017 ; quelques textes dans des revues, Mange-Monde, Teste… ; pas de publication en vue ; essaie de trouver un chant quelque part sous terre et/ou en haut des arbres ; https://jrgandon.wixsite.com/monsite


Arjan Hut

Arjan Hut_pic by Ton Groot Haar
Arjan Hut
(Ritratt ta’ Ton Groot Haar)

Arjan Hut (Ljouwert, il-Pajjiżi l-Baxxi, 1976) jikteb il-poeżiji u n-novelli. Għamel id-debutt tiegħu fil-Festival ta’ Polperro f’Cornwall (2001) u ntgħażel bħala l-ewwel “lawreat” uffiċjali tal-belt ta’ Ljouwert/Leeuwarden (2005-2006). Hut s’issa ppubblika erba’ kotba tal-poeżija, l-iktar wieħed riċenti hu Aurora Bossa Nova: “Is-sajf  jiġi fil-belt bix-xorz, lest għal tmiem il-ġimgħa; koppja ssib lil xulxin fuq bank f’ġenb ta’ kanal; tifel jibni port b’idejh stess; il-patata ssir strument mużikali.  L-iżgħar poeżija tista’ tassorbi univers sħiħ.” Aurora Bossa Nova nħoloq mill-istħajjil tal-bidu tal-univers, l-isplużjoni l-kbira, u t-tmiem tal-univers, imma ħafna mill-poeżiji huma intimi u jitfgħu dawl fuq l-affarijiet iż-żgħar li jagħmlu parti mill-ħajja.

Arjan Hut (Ljouwert, Netherlands, 1976) writes poems and stories. He made his stage debut at the Polperro Festival in Cornwall (2001) and was elected to be the first official city laureate of Ljouwert/Leeuwarden (2005-2006). Hut has published four books of poetry so far, the most recent one is Aurora Bossa Nova“Summer comes to town in hot pants, ready for the weekend; a couple find each other on a canal-side bench; a child builds a harbour with its bare hands; potatoes become musical instruments. The smallest poem can contain an entire universe.” Aurora Bossa Nova grew from an imagining of the beginning, the big bang and the end of the universe, but many of the poems are set close to home and shine a light on the little things that make up a life. (From: Books from Friesland brochure 2017)


Laia López Manrique

laia 3
Laia López Manrique

Laia López Manrique (Barċellona, 1982) studjat il-Filosofija u t-Teorija Letterarja u l-Letteratura Komparata fl-Università ta’ Barċellona. Ippubblikat il-ġabriet ta’ poeżiji Desbordamientos (Tigres de Papel, 2015), La mujer cíclica (La Garúa Libros, 2014) u Deriva (Prensas Universitarias de Zaragoza, 2012), u tikkollabora f’diversi antoloġiji u rivisti letterarji. Laia López Manrique hi waħda mill-edituri tar-rivista diġitali Kokoro (www.revistakokoro.com) u s-serje poetika Kokoro Libros tad-dar tal-pubblikazzjoni Kriller71 Ediciones. Il-ktieb il-ġdid tagħha, Uróboros, se jiġi ppubblikat fl-2018.

Laia López Manrique (Barcelona, 1982) studied Philosophy and Theory of Literature and Comparative Literature at the University of Barcelona. She has published the collections of poems Desbordamientos (Tigres de Papel, 2015), La mujer cíclica (La Garúa Libros, 2014) and Deriva (Prensas Universitarias de Zaragoza, 2012), and she collaborates in various anthologies and literary magazines. She is one of the editors of the digital magazine Kokoro (www.revistakokoro.com) and the poetry series Kokoro Libros from the publishing house Kriller71 Ediciones. Her new book, Uróboros, will be published in 2018.


Caldon Mercieca

CaldonMercieca_pic
Caldon Mercieca

Caldon Mercieca (1976) trabba l-Ħamrun u ilu jaħdem fil-qasam kulturali għal dawn l-aħħar tmintax-il sena. Ippubblika erba’ ġabriet ta’ kitba, Mogħlint (2002), Majorkini (2004), F’xifer il-pajjiż fertili (2012) u Desperoflora (2016). Matul is-snin ikkontribwixxa wkoll f’diversi korsijiet marbutin ma’ kitba kreattiva, fosthom dawk organizzati minn Aġenzija Żgħażagħ u mid-Dipartiment tal-Malti fl-Università ta’ Malta.

Caldon Mercieca (Malta, 1976) is a poet and co-founder of awl, a small independent publishing house specialising in contemporary Maltese poetry, with which he has released a number of poetry publications, including Moghlint (2002) and Majorkini (2003). Mercieca is project leader of the Valletta Design Cluster, a project led by the Valletta 2018 Foundation. He is a co-author of the National Cultural Policy (2011) and of the National Strategy for the Cultural and Creative Industries (2013). Since 2008, he has worked directly on the development and implementation of several public funding initiatives related to culture and the arts. and is currently also actively engaged with the Valletta 2018 Foundation’s research programme, with particular interest in the areas of cultural mapping and the urban impact of the ECOC programme.


Teodor Reljić

Teo Reljic_pic
Teodor Reljić,
(Ritratt ta’ Virginia Monteforte)

Teodor Reljić hu kittieb tan-narrattiva u awtur li jaħdem għal rasu ta’ artikli f’ġurnali u kitbiet promozzjonali; huwa wkoll l-editur kulturali u l-kritiku tal-films tal-gazzetta Malta Today. L-ewwel rumanz tiegħu huwa Two (Merlin, 2014). Il-kitbiet tiegħu dehru fir-rivisti Weird Fiction Review, Le Monde N’Est Pas Rond u Filmkrant. Teodor Reljić huwa l-awtur ta’ MIBDUL, l-ewwel sensiela ta’ komiks f’Malta, bi tpinġijiet ta’ Ineż Kristina. It-tnedija se ssir iktar tard fl-2018 mid-dar tal-pubblikazzjoni Merlin. Reljić, flimkien ma’ oħrajn, kiteb il-film qasir “Camilla” għall-kumpanija tal-produzzjoni Shadeena, addattament tan-novella ta’ Clare Azzopardi li ġġib l-istess isem. Dan il-film qasir rebaħ il-premju tal-Festival Nazzjonali tal-Ktieb għall-films qosra. Dan il-film, b’direzzjoni ta’ Stephanie Sant, se jintwera waqt l-edizzjoni tal-Festival Nazzjonali tal-Ktieb tal-2018. Reljić qed jaħdem ukoll ma’ Shadeena fuq il-film tal-biża’ Inheritance li se jibda jinġibed fil-ħarifa tal-2018. Reljić studja l-Ingliż fl-Università ta’ Malta u kiseb Masters fl-2010. Hu twieled Belgrad (1985) imma ilu jgħix Malta mill-1992. Jinteressawh il-miti, il-metamorfosi, il-mostrożità, l-istorja tal-films, u l-kultura popolari. Din it-taħlita ta’ suġġetti tidher fil-blogg tiegħu https://teodoreljic.com/.

Teodor Reljić is a writer of fiction, a freelance feature and copywriter, and culture editor and film critic at Malta Today. His debut novel, Two, is published by Merlin Publishers. He has previously been published in Weird Fiction Review, Le Monde N’Est Pas Rond and Filmkrant. He has written MIBDUL, Malta’s very first serialized comic, which will be illustrated by Inez Kristina and launched in late 2018 through Merlin Publishers. For film production company Shadeena Entertainment, Reljić has co-written ‘Camilla’, a short film adaptation of the Clare Azzopardi short story of the same name, which won the National Book Council’s Literary Short Film Contest. Co-written and directed by Stephanie Sant, ‘Camilla’ will be screened at this year’s edition of the National Book Festival. Reljić’s other collaboration with Shadeena is a forthcoming horror feature film, entitled Inheritance and slated to commence filming this autumn. He read English and obtained his Master’s degree from the University of Malta in 2010. Born in Belgrade (1985) but raised in Malta (1992-present), he is interested in myth, metamorphosis, monstrosity, film history and pop culture; a melange of which you will likely see dripping into this blog in semi-regular intervals. https://teodoreljic.com/


Philip Sciberras

sciberras4-e1532764126731.jpg
Philip Sciberras

Philip Sciberras twieled Ħaż-Żebbuġ nhar is-7 ta’ Ottubru, 1945, wieħed fost erba’ aħwa, ulied Salvu Sciberras u Marianna née Micallef. Mar l-iskola ta’ St. Joseph, il-Belt, il-Kulleġġ San Alwiġi, u l-Università ta’ Malta, minn fejn iggradwa bħala Avukat fl-1973. Fil-karriera professjonali tiegħu bejn l-1974 u l-2002 kien konsulent legali tal-Air Malta, Sea Malta, Medserv, u Malta Shipbuilding. F’dak il-perjodu kien membru tal-Kumitat ad hoc tal-Kummissjoni għar-Riforma tal-Liġi, responsabbli mill-emendi għall-Kodiċi ta’ Organizzazzjoni u Proċedura Ċivili, introdotti f’dak il-Kodici fl-1995, u biex jitressqu proposti għal tibdiliet fil-liġi tal-Kera. Kien membru Parlamentari mal-Partit Laburista bejn l-1979 u l-1987. Fl-2002 ġie elevat fuq il-bank tal-Ġudikatura fejn serva għal 8 snin fil-Qorti Suprema. Wara reġa’ lura għall-karriera ta’ avukat prattikanti, u kien wieħed mill-membri ewlenin fil-Kummissjoni għar-Riforma tal-Ġustizzja.

Kemm fl-imgħoddi kif ukoll fi żmien aktar riċenti serva fuq diversi Bordijiet ta’ Inkjesta. Fl-2013 inħatar Chairman tal-Awtorità għall-Protezzjoni tal-Embrijuni u tal-Bord Konsultattiv f’San Vinċenz. F’dik l-istess sena ġie nnominat Ambaxxatur mhux residenti għal-Libanu.

Lejn l-aħħar tas-sittinijiet, l-Imħallef Emeritu Philip Sciberras kien wieħed mill-membri fundaturi tal-Moviment Qawmien Letterarju għall-promozzjoni tal-letteratura u l-kultura Maltija fost il-poplu. Ippubblika tliet kotba tal-poeżiji: Priżmi (1968) flimkien mal-Arċipriet Dun Lawrenz Cachia, Mandala (1984), u Mirja (2014). Ħa sehem flimkien ma’ poeti oħra fil-pubblikazzjoni tal-ktieb Dwal fil-Persjani (1972).

F’dawn l-aħħar snin ingarba fuq il-preparazzjoni ta’ opra legali monumentali bl-isem ta’ L-Alfabett tal-Kodici Ċivili (annotat bis-sentenzi). Minn sensiela ta’ għaxar volumi s’issa ġew ippublikati erbgħa.

Fid-9 ta’ Ottubru, 1977 iżżewweġ lil Rose née Apap, li kienet xandara fuq it-televiżjoni tal-Istat u prokuratriċi legali, u kellhom tlett itfal, Lara, Alex u Andrew, ilkoll avukati. Illum huwa nannu ta’ sitt neputijiet.

Philip Sciberras was born in Ħaż-Żebbuġ on the 7th Ocober 1945. He is one of four siblings, born to Saviour Sciberras and Marianna née Micallef. He went to St Joseph School in Valletta, St Aloysius College and the University of Malta, from where he graduated as a lawyer in 1973. During his professional career, between 1974 and 2002, he served as a legal consultant at Air Malta, Sea Malta, Medserv and Malta Shipbuilding.  In the same period he was a member of the ad hoc Committee of the Law Reform Commission responsible for the amendments of the Organisation and Civil Procedure Code introduced in the 1995 Code and to bring forward proposals to change the rent law. He was a Member of Parliament for the Labour Party between 1979 and 1987. In 2002 he was promoted to serve for eight years in the Supreme Court. Afterwards, he continued to practise as a lawyer and was one of the members of the Justice Reform Commission.

He has served on many boards. In 2013 he was appointed Chairman of the Embryo Protection Authority and of the Consultative Board of St Vincent de Paul. In the same year he was nominated as non-resident Ambassador to Lebanon.

Towards the end of the sixties, Philip Sciberras was one of the founding members of the Moviment Qawmien Letterarju for the promotion of Maltese literature and culture amongst the people. He has published three collections of poetry: Priżmi (1968) together with the archpriest Dun Lawrenz Cachia, Mandala (1984), and Mirja (2014). Together with other poets, he was involved in the publication of the book Dwal fil-Persjani (1972).

In recent years he has embarked on the publication monumental legal work entitled L-Alfabett tal-Kodici Ċivili (The alphabet of the Civil Code, annotated with sentences). From a series of ten books, four have already been published.

On the 9th of October 1977 he married to Rose née Apap, who was a broadcaster on the state television and a legal procurator. They have three children Lara, Alex and Andrew, all of them lawyers. Sciberras is grandfather of six nephews and nieces.


Sjón

Sjón.jpg
Sjón
(Ritratt ta’ Jóhann Páll Valdimarsson)

Sjón (Rejkjavik, 1962) hu awtur magħruf Iżlandiż li rebaħ il-Premju Letterarju tal-Kunsill Nordiku, premju ekwivalenti għall-Man Booker Prize, bir-rumanz tiegħu The Blue Fox. Ir-rumanz From the Mouth of the Whale kien fost il-finalisti għall-Premju Internazzjonali IMPAC Dublin tal-Letteratura u għall-Premju Indipendenti fil-Finzjoni Barranija. Ir-rumanz Moonstone – The Boy Who Never Was ħa l-Premju Letterarju Iżlandiż. Ix-xogħol l-iktar riċenti tiegħu CoDex 1962, rumanz fi tliet kotba, ġie ppubblikat fl-Iżlanda fl-2016 u ntlaqa’ tajjeb ħafna. Dan ix-xogħol se jinqaleb f’diversi lingwi fl-2018 u l-2019. Bħala poeta, librettist u liriċista, ippubblika disa’ ġabriet ta’ poeżiji, kiteb erba’ libretti tal-opra, u l-lirika għal bosta artisti. Fl-2001 innominawh għall-Oscar bil-lirika fil-film Dancer in the Dark. Ir-rumanzi tiegħu ġew ippubblikati f’ħamsa u tletin lingwa. Sjón huwa l-president tal-PEN fl-Iżlanda u jgħix f’Rejkjavik flimkien ma’ martu u ż-żewġ uliedu. Ara wkoll www.theguardian.com/books/sjon

Sjón (Rejkjavik, 1962) is a celebrated Icelandic author. He won the Nordic Council’s Literary Prize for his novel The Blue Fox (the Nordic countries’ equivalent of the Man Booker Prize) and the novel From the Mouth of the Whale was shortlisted for both the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award and the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize. The novel Moonstone – The Boy Who Never Was received the Icelandic Literary Price. His latest work CoDex 1962, a novel in three books, was published in Iceland in 2016 to great acclaim. It is due in different languages in 2018/2019. As a poet, librettist and lyricist, he has published nine poetry collections, written four opera libretti and lyrics for various artists. In 2001 he was nominated for an Oscar for his lyrics in the film Dancer in the Dark. Sjón’s novels have been published in thirty five languages. He is the president of Icelandic PEN and lives in Reykjavik with his wife and two children. See also www.theguardian.com/books/sjon.


Ali Thareb

Ali ALTHAREB_pic2
Ali Thareb

Ali Thareb (Bābil, l-Iraq, 1988) huwa poeta li l-poeżiji tiegħu nqalbu għall-Ingliż, il-Franċiż, it-Taljan, it-Tork, u l-Persjan, u dehru kemm f’rivisti u siti Għarab kif ukoll f’dawk internazzjonali. Ħa sehem f’ħafna festivals tal-poeżija fl-Iraq, fl-Eġittu u t-Turkija. Hu l-awtur ta’ diversi kotba: A Shining White Vacuum (Akkad, Londra 2015), I’ll remember that I’m a Dog and I’ll bite you, oh World (Makhtoutat, l-Olanda, 2016), So you will not see through my old shoes (Cultural Meletia, l-Iraq, 2018), Iraqi Poetry anthology (Cultural Meletia, 2018), A man with a fly in his mouth (Éditions des Lisières, Franza, 2018).

F’kumment fuq il-ktieb Un homme avec une mouche dans la bouche (2018) jingħad li “Dak li jagħmel Ali Thareb b’ruħu u b’ġismu huwa li jgħix bħala poeta f’dinja ta’ gwerra.” Għalih, li twieled fl-1988, ftit wara li spiċċat il-gwerra bejn l-Iraq u l-Iran, il-poeżija hi essenzjali. “Il-poeżija tippermettili li nsalva u nesperjenza, jekk biss għal ftit, id-demm li jiċċirkola f’ħajti. Waqt li jien membru tal-milizzja kulturali, fix-xogħlijiet tiegħi jien niġbed l-attenzjoni lejn ix-xeni kriminali, lejn id-demm. Jien kontinwament nipprova nitfa’ d-dawl fuq il-mewt tagħna ta’ kuljum, billi nuri d-diversi uċuħ tagħha. Nitfa’ l-lenti fuq il-limitazzjoni tal-kliem, fuq il-kelma li timbotta mhux bħal warda iżda bħal balla.


Ali Thareb is an Iraqi poet, born in Bābil in 1988. His poems have been translated into English, French, Italian, Turkish, and Persian, and published in both Arabic and international magazines and websites. He has participated in many poetry festivals in Iraq, Egypt, and Turkey. He is the author of many books: A shining White Vacuum (Akkad publishing house, London 2015), I’ll remember that I’m a Dog and I’ll bite you, oh World (Makhtoutat, Netherlands, 2016), So you will not see through my old shoes (cultural meletia in Iraq 2018), Iraqi Poetry anthology (also by cultural meletia 2018), A man with a fly in his mouth (Éditions des Lisières, France, 2018).

From the comment on Un homme avec une mouche dans la bouche (2018): Habiter en poète un monde en guerre, c’est ce que fait Ali Thareb corps et âme. Né en 1988 peu après la fin de la guerre Iran-Irak, la poésie est pour lui vitale. “La poésie me permet de me sauver et d’essuyer, ne serait-ce qu’un petit peu, le sang qui coule sur ma vie. En tant que membre de la Milice de la culture, j’attire l’attention à travers mes textes, sur le lieu du crime, sur le sang. J’essaie constamment d’ouvrir notre mort quotidienne avec toutes ses facettes, sur les limites du mot, le mot qui pousse non pas comme une rose mais comme une balle.”

Ħajr lil Elena Cardona