International award for Bursa

Poet and writer Güney Özkılınç, who serves as the Head of Press, Publications, and Public Relations Department of Bursa Metropolitan Municipality, was awarded the ‘Dritero Agolli Award’ at the International Writers Festival Korça Poetry Nights Events. Özkılınç talked about Nazım Hikmet’s years in Bursa during the festival. The festival took place in Korça, known as the ‘Serenade Love Art City’, on 25-27 May 2024, on the birthday of Albania’s poet Naim Frashri. It was attended by Albanian writers and poets living in Albania, Kosovo, and other countries, as well as poets from Italy, Greece, Romania, Turkey, Slovenia, Morocco, Switzerland, France, and Ireland. On the evening of 25 May at the MIK-Hotel, the Mayor of Korça, the Director of City Theaters, and the Presidents of Pen Clubs of Albania and Kosovo gave opening speeches, followed by a concert and readings of poems by invited poets. On the morning of 26 May 2024, the award winner of the year, Professor Sali Bashota, planted a symbolic poetry tree in the ‘Poets Meadow’ at the ‘Vangjush Mio’ garden. The events continued with three panels at the ‘Thimi Mitko’ Public Library. Besnik Mustafaj, Sali Bashota, and Güney Özkılınç from Bursa presented their papers. Güney Özkılınç enriched his presentation with visuals and talked about Nâzım Hikmet’s years in Bursa. Romanian writer Mariana Gorczyca, along with Albanian writers Erenestina Halili Gjergji and Ahmet Prençi, gave explanations about their novels at the Gjon Mili Museum, while Impressionist painter Vangjush Mio’s house museum. At the Medieval Art Museum, invited poets read their poems. The festival continued on the evening of 26 May at the MIK Hotel with poetry readings and an award ceremony. Güney Özkılınç, who is also the Head of Press, Publications, and Public Relations Department of Bursa Metropolitan Municipality, was awarded the ‘Dritero Agolli Award’. On 27 May, the participating poets were hosted in the Bilisht region as guests of the Mayor of Devoll-Bilisht. After drinking coffee at the Mayor’s office, they visited the historical sites of the region. They read their poems at the historical church ruins on an island after visiting the museum house of Marigo Posio, who draws and embroiders the Albanian flag. The festival concluded with a magnificent gala night where the Mayor, high school students performing sketches, folklore games, music, poets reading their poems in Albanian translations, and invited poets reciting their poems were part of the event. Poet and writer Güney Özkılınç from Bursa, Muhsine Arda, Filiz Civaner from Istanbul, and Mesut Şenol attended the 2024 ‘Korça Poetry Nights’ of the International Writers Festival. The participants were featured in the festival anthology, which was a reflection of the festival through their poems.