Qatar National Library (QNL), in collaboration with the German Embassy Doha and the Goethe-Institute Gulf Region, recently hosted a ‘Poetry Slam’ workshop, followed by a public performance, as part of the Qatar Germany 2017 Year of Culture.
The workshop took place over three days, and was delivered by German poetry slammers and instructors, Julian Heun and Dominique Macri. To celebrate the conclusion of the event, the participants performed their newly-constructed poems at the Hamad bin Khalifa University (HBKU) Student Center in Education City to the public.
Dominique Macri, poetry slammer and instructor, said: “The variety of our participants was really impressive. They all came from different nationalities and spoke different languages, which created an energetic and varied atmosphere on stage. It also emphasized the fact that using the same language was not important. I always say if you don’t understand a poem, just feel it.”
Julian Heun, poetry slammer and instructor, also commented, saying: “The workshop aimed to help participants conquer their stage fright by providing them with the tools to tap into their creativity and develop their writing skills. It was great to experience how the participants came together and supported each other to find their own voice.”
Participant Abdullah Tom, a student at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, commented on the experience, saying: “I decided to participate in the workshop in order to cultivate my creativity and to find ways in which I could improve my poetry skills. The workshop offered me a great opportunity to find the spark that inspires me to write more.”
Qatar Germany 2017 Year of Culture is a year-long program designed to deepen understanding between nations through the mutual exchange of arts, culture, heritage and sport, developed by Qatar Museums in partnership with the Goethe-Institute Gulf Region, the German Embassy in Doha and the Embassy of Qatar in Germany.
QNL, a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF), supports Qatar’s journey towards becoming a knowledge-based economy by spreading knowledge, nurturing imagination, cultivating creativity and preserving the nation’s heritage for future generations.
