September 18th took place the third edition of Career Award instituted by the city of Moniga del Garda, from an idea of Igor Costanzo and Beppe Costa.
This award is given annually to a personality from the world of culture recognized worldwide.
After Fenando Arrabal and Jack Hirschman, this year the prize was given to Naim Araidi with this motivation:
With his poetry, his diplomatic activity, the activity of teaching, but especially under the artistic direction of Nisan Festival in Galilee (where he managed to create an important dialogue between authors from around the world, but especially Israelis and Palestinians) he has taught all over the world the most heartfelt message against war; also for his artistic production always with the highest ethical and philanthropic coherence.
Suffering from a serious illness Naim Araidi could not be present at the ceremony that took place, however, with the participation of his friend Dr. Sharif Chres who received the plaque on behalf of Naim Araidi by Deputy Mayor Renato Marcoli. During the evening were read some poems from last italian publication "Canzoni di Galilea" (Songs of Galilee).
Now the brotherly friend Naim Araidi is no longer among us but is not entirely true to make this affirmation, because Naim was a Druze admitting the principle of reincarnation.
This and only this the only consolation for us, small pieces of a picture that we can not know in its entirety. There is a lot of work still to be done and the success provides the most humble contribution from each of us and, when we lost the way, simply think about what Naim built, doing his body and his life a bridge for the people, because, as he wrote, poets remain poets in life or death and Naim is a man who brings poetry to men and he has demonstrated it every year organizing the festival Nisan (which I really hope it can continue stronger than before).
Who knew Naim does not read these words as a new but, rather, these words are not the height of his personality and his work. To those who think the opposite of what I write, I highly recommend to notice as soon as possible how has reduced the world we inhabit.
Stefania Battistella
Naim Araidi was born in Maghar, Israel and completed his elementary school in his village, then moved to Haifa to complete his secondary education. He went on to gain B.A in Hebrew language and Political Science and another B.A in Hebrew Literature and Comparative Literature. Then he gained a M.A in Hebrew Literature and Comparative Literature at the University of Haifa. This was followed with a Ph.D in Hebrew Literature from Bar-Ilan University.
Work and Writing Career
He served as an instructor and a lecturer in both the University of Haifa and Bar-Ilan University. Then he moved to Gordon College and the Arab College for Education in Israel. He then served as the Director of the Children's Literature center at the Arab College as well as the coordinator of Studies for the Non-Jewish students at Gordon College. Dr. Naim presented two weekly programmes on Channel 2, a children's programme and a news programme. He also established "Al-Sewar" magazine. He held many public positions and participated in a large number of international festivals for writing and poetry. Many of Araidi's published works appear in translation. For the first time in Italy in 2014 an anthology of his poems was published by Seam Edizioni. The first edition was presented during the roman poetical twinning with Ottobre in Poesia[1] in 2013. The second edition occasioned a tour organized by the same publisher and poets Igor Costanzo, Beppe Costa, Stefania Battistella who translated the work.
Araidi established the Nissan organization for Literature in 1999. The international Nissan Festival is held annually in April in Maghar.
Registrazione parziale della Premiazione
