The Odesa – UNESCO City of Literature Office continues its project “Poetry in Cities of Literature,” which introduces readers to contemporary poetry from sister cities within the UNESCO Cities of Literature network. The initiative, planned over a year, aims to showcase diverse voices and foster cultural exchange among global literary communities.
Slemani, a UNESCO Creative City of Literature, is the cultural capital of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Founded in 1784, the city has long been a hub for poetry, philosophy, education, and progressive thought. Slemani’s literary tradition bridges generations, where classical Kurdish poets like Nalî and Mahwî meet contemporary voices shaping new forms of expression.
The city’s vibrant literary life is sustained through its bookstores, cafés, universities, cultural centers, and religious institutions, forming a living network of creativity active year-round. Slemani hosts festivals, workshops, translation initiatives, and literary exchanges that connect local writers with international peers. Its multilingual heritage—Kurdish, Arabic, English, and more—encourages openness and storytelling across communities.
At its core, “Poetry in Cities of Literature” emphasizes mutual cultural enrichment, creating an open exchange where books, ideas, and traditions travel freely, inspiring and uniting people worldwide.
Let's get acquainted with the poets of the city of Slemani.
Ranj Sangawi was born in 1977 in the town of Sangaw and grew up in Slemani. He studied Media in the TV Department of the College of Humanities. He has been publishing poetry since 1998 and he is the author of two poetry books: (Don’t Let Yourself Fade Away) and (Another City).
Today we invite you to listen to Ranj Sanghawi's poem:
How can this age be the age of music?
How can this age be the age of music?
Where is the poetry written in it?
I’d better gather my words into a will.
Until life knocks upon your door,
a thousand times death comes.
For whom shall I write poetry?
How could a wall ever have ears?
It was a lie.
The era in which those words were spoken
has already drowned.
For years I’ve been living—
neither the village heard a thing, nor the city.
Neither the tree ever grew ears, nor the wall.
Once, we were all springs—
but pond-worshippers made us still.
We were full of beautiful phrases—
but they quieted every thrill.
Many nights, I search for our house
on Google…
When I grew up, I lost it
within my heart.
Now,
we share one root of language,
yet cannot understand one another.
On the same street,
we walk toward each other—
but never meet.
Our hands rest in our pockets,
not for greeting.
We splash stench on one another,
not rosewater.
The project was created by the Odesa UNESCO City of Literature and being implemented with funds raised by Reykjavik City of Literature Reykjavík Bókmenntaborg UNESCO as part of the readings initiated by Milano City of Literature “Not Just Words” (Reading for Odesa) on February 24, 2024.
