In a magnificent ceremony organized at the AAB Theater “Faruk Begolli”, at AAB College, attended by well-known personalities from public institutions, writers, artists, professors and students and the family members of the late poet Ali Podrimja, the International Prize for Literature ‘’Ali Podrimja” of AAB College for 2021 was awarded to the Bosnian writer, academician Abdullah Sidran.
In this ceremony, the President of the Steering Committee of AAB College, Lulzim Tafa, said that it is a great pleasure that this prize is being awarded to a well-known writer not only in Bosnia but also in the Balkans and beyond.
Mr. Sidran, we have invited you to award you the prize that bears the name of your friend and my friend “Ali Podrimja”.
If he is seeing us now, I am very sure he will be very happy. We also invited you for another purpose to thank you for your poetic brilliance and for the great art that you have given to humanity “, said Tafa.
In his speech, Prime Minister Kurti said that he feels honored to participate in the ceremony that honors the artistic creativity of a poet, with an award that bears the name of an equally great poet.
Prime Minister Kurti said that through verses, Mr. Sidran united us with the pain, wounds and mess that his people survived, which a few years later would become the reality and the truth of our people, as well.
He said that the traces left by Mr. Sidran in Bosnian and Balkan literature are indelible. They will strongly serve the collective memory of the nations to whom history has repeatedly shown to be ruthless.
The decision for the International Prize for Literature “Ali Podrimja”, for the Bosnian writer Abdullah Sidran, was by a jury composed of: Halil Matoshi, Naime Beqiraj, Lulzim Tafa, Rrahman Paçarizi and Vlora Konushevci.
The reason of the jury, which was given by Halil Matoshi, was that this Prize is awarded to the writer Abdullah Sidran, for his great art given the highest evaluations and considerations for him. While the prize was awarded to the winner of 2021 by the Rector of AAB College, Bujar Demjaha.
At the solemn ceremony of the “Ali Podrimja” Award, the laureate of 2021, gave an emotional speech in front of the audience.
“People usually think that every shell taken from the bottom of the sea holds a pearl in it. But not every shell has a pearl. Only those shells that have experienced an external shock have pearls, those that have suffered severe wounds in their body, and to heal that wound, they secrete such fluid that later turns into pearls.
Our talents have been born from a tear, our pearls have been born from our wounds and I want everyone here to understand this as a truth that relates to the individual and as a truth that relates to our nations, our collectivities.
What is most beautiful in them, is that they are born from the wounds of our nations and our people. And let us hope that the current scars that we have and that we are going through ,in the future will yield wonderful and beautiful pearls that will be the pride of the people.
Thank you to everyone. I am really a happy man tonight,” said Sidran.
We recall that the International Prize for Literature and Art “Ali Podrimja” awarded by AAB College, has so far been won by the great Albanian writer Ismail Kadare and the great Montenegrin writer Jevrem Berkovic.
