Link to Atlas Projects

Documents

Overview

Poetry is hugely popular in Somalia, enjoyed by the young and old, the literate and illiterate, men and women, across every Federal Member State and throughout the diaspora. Its universal popularity and use of a common language make it both a unifying force and a powerful medium to raise awareness. Nonetheless, in this primarily oral society, where poetry is more often shared by voice than in writing, the work of major poets risks being lost; there are few resources to support budding poets, educate the youth on Somali poetry and offer a forum for discussion and sharing ideas; and there is no universally recognized institution or award that can raise the status of Somali poetry. There also seem to have been few attempts to utilize the power of poetry to systematically advocate for human rights and other development issues. UNDP Somalia seeks to address all these areas with a new initiative that will (a) institutionalize a system of poetry awards that are recognized annually and have universal acceptance as a benchmark for excellence; (b) establish an online platform for the archiving of major work, education around Somali poetry and the exchange and promotion of new work among Somali poets from all locations; and (c) partner with successful poets to raise awareness on rights and development issues Against this background, UNDP seeks to engage a qualified National Consultant to manage and implement the above objectives.