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The Principal Prince Claus laureate for 2004 is Mahmoud Darwish, a poet of global significance. A writer formed in the crucible of migration and asylum, he powerfully evokes his experiences in poetry and prose that transcend time and place, drawing on collective memories of loss and longing, and expressing the mutuality of trauma and desire for peace.
Born in Palestine in 1942, he suffered two violent expulsions and spent more than 26 years in exile in Jordan, Lebanon, Cyprus, Tunisia and France before being able to settle in Ramallah where he now lives. His highly acclaimed publication Leaves of Olive was published in 1964. His poems reveal the struggle to assert a sense of belonging and identity, and his prose masterpiece Memory For Forgetfulness (1982) powerfully evokes the experience of forced exile.
Mahmoud Darwish has published more than 30 collections of poetry and prose, and his work has been translated into 35 languages. He is the founding editor of the highly regarded literary review Al Karmel which fosters intercultural debate on intellectual issues and links Arab writers with the international literary community.
The Prins Claus Fonds honours Mahmoud Darwish for his unique literary achievements and celebrates the courage of migrant artists who struggle for the right to freedom of imagination and of cultural expression.
Jawad Al Assadi (b. 1947, Iraq) is a leading director of theatre in the Arab world. He offers an innovative vision of theatre, devotes energy to training young actors and employs a unique style in directing plays by a wide range of Arab playwrights such as Saádallah Wanoos, Moueen Bessissou and Mahmoud Diab, as well as works by Genet, Chekhov and Brecht. He has written poems, essays on theatre, studies on rehearsals, and several plays, which have been translated into English, Russian and French, including Forget Hamlet, The Bench and Women of War.
Jawad Al Assadi has spent 25 years as an exile, moving between different Arab countries, working with theatre and actors’ groups and contributing to the development of progressive thought and dialogue in the region. While much of his widely admired work has been done in exile, he has recently returned to Iraq where he is giving new impetus and support to cultural activities in difficult circumstances. This award pays tribute to Jawad Al Assadi’s outstanding efforts in fostering cultural creativity.
Tin Moe is a highly esteemed poet and literary activist. Born in Burma in 1933, his first book, The Lantern, published in 1965, won the National Literary Prize for Poetry. He founded a library in his village, taught Burmese language and literature, was poetry editor for the Ludu Daily Newspaper and was involved in producing textbooks and children’s books. He joined the pro-democracy movement in 1988 and continued to write despite great risk, becoming a voice for the people.
Tin Moe has published over 30 highly respected books and essays, all of which are banned in his homeland. Having spent several periods in jail, in 1999 he was compelled to go into exile where he continues to write as well as producing literature programmes for Radio Free Asia. Tin Moe’s poems circulate in pro-democracy networks and have been found scratched into the walls of prisoners’ cells.
This Prince Claus Award honours Tin Moe for his outstanding literary achievements and for his role in sustaining culture as a source of strength, inspiration and identity.
Ivaldo Bertazzo (b. 1939, Brazil) is a choreographer and therapist who has initiated an unusual training scheme for dancers that motivates young people to explore their identity and develop psychophysical integration. He founded the School for Re-education of Movement and in 1976 launched the concept of ‘citizen dancers’ to increase participation by non-professionals. Further expanding the influence of dance and movement, he now works with large groups of between 60 and 120 youngsters from the favelas, drawing on the varied cultural traditions of Brazil as well as of India. Bertazzo not only trains them but also provides education and welfare assistance.
Bertazzo highlights gesture, awareness, concentration and communication which are expressed in unique public performances that celebrate movement and music, and are widely acclaimed for their beauty and vitality. The idea that care of body and spirit through dance stimulates confidence, discipline and respect for others is further disseminated through lectures, symposiums and a book, Space and Body - Re-education Movement Guide. The Prince Claus Award honours Ivaldo Bertazzo for establishing these innovative programmes that put young people in touch with their potential, and for stimulating cultural creativity that provides opportunities for individuals and communities.
The Bhutan Archery Federation is the protector and promoter of a living tradition in Bhutanese culture. A combination of physical talents, spiritual influences and mental exercise, archery’s local origins go back to the time of the Buddha. Tournaments take place at all levels from village to national league and archery is prominent in Bhutan’s social environment. Traditional preparations, codes of conduct and performance ceremonies, as well as singing, dancing and feasting, are part of the sporting experience. Both men and women compete, and there is lively audience participation through women’s commentary on the archers’ performance.
Started in the 1970s, the members of the Bhutan Archery Federation are responsible for ensuring high standards of quality and training, as well as organising local and international participation in the many tournaments. The Federation is run entirely by volunteer members and it is their commitment that strengthens and engenders renewal of this unique sporting tradition. This first Prince Claus Award to Bhutan honours the members of the Bhutan Archery Federation for their role in sustaining and developing archery as a dynamic expression of local cultural values.
An eminent scholar and expert in the archaeology of the Anatolian Peninsula, Halet Çambel (born in 1916 in Germany) is renowned for conducting rescue excavations of endangered heritage sites, introducing stone restoration and ensuring proper conservation of significant cultural heritage in Turkey. She founded the chair of prehistoric archaeology at Istanbul University and has taught and inspired generations of students. She was instrumental in protecting a village of unique Turkish houses and has recently opened an Art and Culture House where concerts, exhibitions and other cultural activities take place. Halet Çambel’s meticulous scholarship, commitment to international collaboration and enthusiasm for innovative research are praised both in Turkey and in the wider international community.
Her numerous publications (from 1938 onwards), television programmes, documentaries, and the first open-air museum of antiquities at the Karatepe-Aslantaş site, are among her contributions to knowledge of and accessibility to the civilisations and historical riches of Turkey. The Prince Claus Award honours Halet Çambel for her dedicated scholarship and for her unique role in expanding the possibilities for interaction between people and their cultural heritage.
Omara Khan Massoudi (b. 1948, Afghanistan), through outstanding professional dedication and personal bravery, has saved some of the world’s finest cultural treasures. When the Kabul Museum was bombed and looted in 1993, he inspired other members of staff to assist him in ongoing evasive action to safeguard whatever was possible and to assess and record the damage. Taking extraordinary risks to preserve the most important items, secretly removing some to safe places and disguising others, he was directly responsible for saving a large proportion of what remains of the museum’s unique collections.
After 25 years of service within the institution, Omara Khan Massoudi was appointed the director of the Kabul Museum in 2001 where he continues his inspiring and indefatigable efforts to rehabilitate the museum building and restore its collections, as well as prevent the plunder of Afghanistan’s important historical and cultural sites.
His work emphasises the ongoing importance of protecting the world’s cultural heritage, now severely threatened by increasing wars and disasters, and safeguarding it for the benefit of future generations. This Prince Claus Award honours Omara Khan Massoudi for his courage and for his continuing commitment to defending and promoting culture in the most extreme of circumstances.
Memoria Abierta (Open Memory) is an alliance of seven human rights organisations founded to assist victims of state terrorism in Argentina between 1974 and 1983. Its work springs from recognition of the importance of memory in the rehabilitation of communities that have experienced trauma. The alliance has set up an archive of more than 20,000 documents and photographs, an oral archive containing more than 260 personal testimonies from victims, activists and exiles, and has mapped sites used by the state for the detention, torture and death of citizens. It has also recorded a virtual exposition of the archives on CD-Rom, and produced teaching materials widely used in primary and secondary schools. A founding member of the International Coalition of Museums of Conscience, one of Memoria Abierta’s priorities is to create a permanent institution for this national heritage.
Through its network for reconciliation and democracy, Memoria Abierta highlights the consequences of violation for society, contributes to the reconstruction of identity, and promotes awareness among new generations. The Prince Claus Award pays tribute to Memoria Abierta for its important work in the cultural context of both Latin America and the world.
Farroukh Qasim (b. 1948, Tajikistan) has brought renewal to theatre in Tajikistan through his approach to the creative reworking of an eclectic repertoire. An outstanding actor, he began his directing career in the 1970s with daring critiques of the totalitarian system, which resulted in internal exile. With social liberalisation in the 1980s, he formed a theatre group and began energetic production.
Farroukh Qasim draws inspiration from multiple cultures, readily adapting methods and concepts, and reinterpreting through the addition of new characters. He has created performances based on sources as varied as Rumi, Zoroastrian and Koranic texts, Sufi mystics and plays by Moliére and Bulgakov, for example a Tajik King Lear incorporating 10 th century Persian verses.
His studio trains young actors and directors, and the Akhorun theatre regularly tours in the Middle East as well as Eastern and Western Europe. This Prince Claus Award honours Farroukh Qasim for his creative contributions to performance art and literature in Tajikistan.
Aminata Traoré (b. 1947, Mali) is a socio-cultural activist who emphasises the interrelationship of economics, politics and culture. With a doctorate in social psychology and psychopathology, she was a founder member of African Women for Research and Development and consultant for many development institutions. She established a cultural training centre in Mali, stimulated activities in the field of textiles and design, and was Mali’s Minister of Tourism and Culture. Preferring to work more directly in poor urban areas, she emphasises self-sufficiency, use of local skills and materials, and mobilises communities to build infrastructure, networks and enterprises.
Critical of neo-liberal economics, bad governance and donor dependency, Aminata Traoré is the founder and co-ordinator of the Forum for Another Mali and is an associate co-ordinator in the International Network for Cultural Diversity. She is active in international debates on another globalisation based on cultural and political creativity. Having published over 50 articles and books, she is remarkable for putting ideas into practice at local and global levels.
This Prince Claus Award honours Aminata Traoré for her bold and visionary leadership in empowering communities to find solutions within themselves and their culture.
2004 Principal Prince Claus Laureate Mahmoed Darwish thanks H..R.H. Prince Friso. Photo: Anthony Donner
Carlinhos Brown (2003 Prince Claus Laureate, Brasil) dances with H.M. Queen Beatrix during his performance at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam. Photo: Anthony Donner
Els van der Plas, director Prins Claus Fonds, adresses the guests at the official Prince Claus Awards ceremony in the Royal Palace Amsterdam
