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Poets bring trouble and strife to Taiwan

Poets from nations suffering the ravages of war, bitter ethnic and religious divisions and occupation have touched down in Taiwan for the Homeland and the World International Taipei Poetry Festival (臺北詩歌節).

Seminars and lectures are already underway but the festival organized by Taipei City Government's Department of Cultural Affairs, now in its fifth year, begins next Friday with a ceremony.

A small film festival accompanies the main series of readings. On Sunday, Berlin Jerusalem directed by Israeli director Amos Gitai, will be screened.

The film tells of two Zionist women, one a poet living in 1920s Germany and the other a Marxist experimentalist living in Palestine before the creation of Israel.

The critically acclaimed Greek movie A Touch of Spice will be shown next Sunday, followed by Divine Intervention directed by Elia Suleiman on Monday. Vodka Lemon will be shown on Tuesday. Directed by Hiner Saleem, the film paints a grim picture of life in post-Soviet Armenia, through the daily struggle of a poor pensioner.

The festival organizers aim to draw attention to the division and assimilation of ethnic groups, an issue relevant to Taiwan's divided society, by inviting mainly Middle Eastern poets to Taipei.

Although the media extensively covers this region, attention generally falls on terrorism and internecine strife, which often fails to recognize the cultural richness of the area.

Among the more than 20 international and local poets are: Choman Hardi, a refugee from Kurdistan who focuses on war and persecution in her poetry; Ghassan Zaqtan, born in 1954 near Bethlehem, who has worked with the Palestinian Liberation Organization's literary magazine Bayader: and Amir Or who was born in 1956 in Tel Aviv and currently works as chief editor of the Helicon Society for the

Advancement of Poetry in Israel.

Festival events will be held at Zhongshan Hall (中山堂光復廳), the Chinese Culture University (文化大學教育推廣部國際會議廳), 228 Peace Park (228和平紀念公園) and Eslite bookstore on Dunhua S Rd (台北市誠品書店敦南店).

Entry to most activities is free, however registration is required in advance for some seminars and readings. For more information call (02) 2709 5314, or visit www.tpf05.com.tw.

-- steve price
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