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30/08/2015

BBC Radio 4 - Poems from Syria

News presenter Mike Embley hears poems from Syrian writers responding to the conflict.

News presenter Mike Embley meets and speaks to Syrian poets, writers and academics about how their work has reflected the emotions and humanity in a seemingly impossible situation.

In the last few years, during the conflict in Syria, it seems incredible that there are still writers expressing their experiences through poetry. In this moving programme, news journalist Mike Embley meets and speaks to Syrian poets, writers and academics about how their work has reflected the emotions and humanity in a seemingly impossible situation. Some are in exile while others spend their time helping writers still in Syria to translate their poems and share them with a wider world. There are many who are writing to make sense of the trauma suffered by every Syrian and there are those who've found themselves unable to write.

With moving, traumatic, defiant, tragic, sad and (incredibly) sometimes hopeful words, this programme goes right to the human story behind the news headlines. Poems by Mohja Kahf, Ghada al-Atrash, Najat Abdul Samad, Ghias al-Jundi, Ibrahim al-Qashoush, Golan Haji and Aicha Arnaout. Interviews with writers Ghada al-Atrash, Ghias al-Jundi, Golan Haji, Aicha Arnaout and Dr Atef Alshaer. Readings by Frank Stirling and Eve Matheson. 

Consultant: Dr Atef Alshaer 
Producer: Laura Parfitt
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