An image from the archive of one of the previous Gelawej festivals, photo: 964media
Platform for 'cultural dialogue'
27th Gelawej International Festival slated for December in Sulaymaniyah
SULAYMANIYAH — The Gelawej Intellectual Center has announced that the 27th Gelawej International Festival, a major literary and intellectual event in the Kurdistan Region, will take place in Sulaymaniyah this December. The festival will award honors in poetry, short stories, and research, with winners chosen by a judging committee and receiving prizes.
Despite recent financial challenges, the center, which was established in 1996 and operates under the Chawder Center for Enlightenment, remains dedicated to continuing the festival. Submissions for the various categories will be accepted from Aug. 25 to Oct. 25, with participants encouraged to submit their works to the festival’s official email address.
At a recent preparatory meeting, the organizing committee emphasized the importance of the festival’s continuity. “Despite the current economic crisis, the Gelawej festival must not be halted,” they stated, affirming the event’s role in fostering cultural dialogue. “As we promised, the Gelawej festival will continue. We hope that writers and freedom-seekers, through the past 26 festivals, have come to understand that the Gelawej festival serves writers and freedom-seeking voices, and aims to foster invention and cultural dialogue.”
The previous festival, themed “Freedom… Continues,” was held in Sulaymaniyah from Oct. 12 to 14, 2023.
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