From 20–23 October 2022, in Tetova and Prizren was held the 26th Jubilee Edition of the International Poetry Festival “Ditet e Naimit”. During those three days numerous literary, artistic, scientific and cultural activities were held. It was attended by poets from different parts of the world such as Christoffer Leandoer (Sweden), Remeedeos Alverez Diaz (Spain), Waqas Khawaja (Pakistan/USA), Dalila Hiaoui (Morocco/Italy), Anton Gojcaj (Montenegro), Lali Michaeli (Israel), Lucila Trapazo (Switzerland), Daniela Andonovska Trajkovska (North Macedonia), Aleksy Wrobel (Poland/BM), Shqiptar Oseku (Kosova), Entela Tabaku (Albania), Dimitris P. Kraniotis (Greece), Mara Venuto (Italy), Remzi Salihu (North Macedonia), Sema Gyler (Turkey), Ndue Ukaj (Kosova), Malak Mustafa (Siri/Spain), Sofia Mileva (Bulgaria). Ekrem Ajruli (North Macedonia), Arjan Kallcho (Albania) etc.

The festive opening of the 26th Edition of the International Poetry Festival “Ditet e Naimit” was made by igniting fireworks and flames carried by young people in Albanian national clothing, in front of the Cultural Center in Tetova. Meanwhile, the director of the festival, Shaip Emerllahu and the Swedish Laureat, Christoffer Leandoe, placed flowers in front of the statue and gave a minute of silence to our national poet, Naim Frashëri. The 26th Edition of the IPF “Ditet e Naimit” was opened by the festival’s director, Shaip Emerllahu, who, among other things, emphasized that, “This year after that of the pandemic, we appear quite dark for mankind. We have an overthrow of the system and the living code. The uncertainty of the present and the future has increased. Life is largely deprived of its beauty. The thorough threats in the northeast of our continent, which tend to ignite the conflict of apocalyptic chaos. Such a picture is quite intimidating and disturbing. It needs opposing offenses from all layers. So even of us of the race of letters. Otherwise, everyone’s expansion, but ours, will also be charged with responsibility. Dear poets, you are in Tetova of poetry today, where IPF “Ditet e Naimit” as a literary and cultural operator, for a quarter of a century has promoted and affirmed literature, culture, language, Naim Frashëri, has affirmed the city and Our state, but also the language, literature and place of the other. This has made it look better and to understand diversity, as a value, a value that guarantees us dreamy future. Ditet e Naimit is a marker of bridges that are erected and will be erected continuously … So the communications raised between poets, between literature, but also those of poets with local art lovers at the celebration of poetry have turned Tetova into the emblem of an increasingly significant bridge. Being the architect of these bridges makes you feel fulfilled. Thank you all of you for making space for this journey …

There, in that beautiful scene, filled with public art lovers, Laureat Christoffer Leandoer, was awarded the great “Naim Frashëri” award, and was awarded the High Member Honorary Title by the festival’s director, Shaip Emerllahu. Laureat on this occasion thanked for this honor the poetry, his work, saying that he feels honored and appreciated, and thanked the festival directorate.

The festival’s jury consisted of Prof. Dr. Ymer Çiraku, Mr. Ndue Ukaj and Prof. Xhelal Zejneli.

On the second day of the program, the Literary Hour of “Poets and Verses” was held at the Center for Culture and Art “Shift Center” where the participating and Albanian poets (among them two new poets, Valdeta Dulahi and Saranda Osmani) read their poems. This evening was awarded the literary award “Silke/Liria Blumbach. This award, according to the jury, belonged to the Swiss poet, Lucilla Trapazzo.

On the third day of the festival, according to the program, the poets went to Prizren, where they visited historical and cultural monuments (among them the house of the League of Prizren). In the evening, in the beautiful lounge of the book, “Altera”, the great literary hour “Meridian Poetic” was held, which took place under the patronage of the Mayor of Prizren, Mr. Shaqir Totaj. At the opening speech, after welcoming poets in the city of Prizren, the Mayor emphasized, among other things, that it was a pleasure and a privilege to support this important international poetry festival because of the specific weight and great role that this festival has, in the affirmation of Albanian language, culture and literature.

Then the poets participating in different countries of the world and Albanian poets read poems and awarded the other literary awards of the festival. Thus, the literary prize “Ditet e Naimit”, which is given for literary career to the American poet, Waqas Khwaja (the Prizren Mayor submitted the award), the ‘Menada’ award given to special poetic values ​​to the Polish poet Aleksy Wrobel (the Award was submitted by the Director of the Festival), the Literary Prize ‘Oeneum’, given for the best poetic cycle was given to the poet from Montenegro, Anton Gojçaj (the award was submitted by the Laureate of this Edition) and the literary prize ‘ Qiriu i Naimit ‘, given for better poetry, was taken by the Albanian poet, Entela Tabaku (the award was handed over by the jury member).

The festival was led by moderator Narta Emerllahu, while the poems were read by the actor Arsim Kaleci in Albanian. A musical piece were executed by violinist Hana Abdullahu and the virtuoso of classical music from Prizren. Meanwhile, the reading of the poems in Albanian by the participating poets was conveyed by the guitar, Professor Naser Dula.

The Festival Directorate, as always, in this Edition also published the Anthology of the Festival, of the poems of the poets participating “Mountain has shelter in heaven”, prepared and edited by Shaip Emerllahu. Honorary guest at this opening of this Edition was also the director of the International Poetry Festival “Struga Evenings”, Mr. Todorce Tasevski.

The festival was supported by the Ministry of Culture of North Macedonia, the Municipality of Prizren, while also sponsored by the “Altera” bookstore, “Kurtishi” restaurant and “Parajsa e Sharrit”.

D. Hadri

Tetova, October 24th, 2022