On the occasion of medico international's anniversary in April, The Poetry Project was invited to a reading in Frankfurt. The aid organization focuses on recognizing and combating poverty and marginalization by supporting existing, functional structures in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, instead of exporting relief goods from Europe. This aims at ensuring greater sustainability; through campaigns and events, medico international contributes to creating an informed critical public.
The event initially focused on the current situation in Afghanistan, presented by Thomas Ruttig, a journalist and co-director of the independent think tank Afghanistan Analysts Network. Specifically, the discussion centered around the role of poetry in times of war, the aesthetics of a literary form that may seem buried, but endures under the rubble and is now carried forward by the young generation. The Poetry Project supports refugees in continuing their cultural heritage and engaging in dialogue with German students about cultural specifities.
A dialogue poem about the past summer was read, where Afghan and German realities collided; texts about the horrors of fleeing, as well as about foreignness and trust, were also shared. The German versions were recited by the award-winning author and translator Ilija Trojanow, who also addressed the topic of flight in his own works. The event was accompanied by music by the Hamnawa Band, composed of Afghan refugees from Frankfurt.
Organization: Ramona Lenz
Poets: Kahel Kaschmiri, Robina Karimi, Michael Krasnov, Rojin Namer, Samiullah Rasouli, Mahdi Rezaei
