Local
Poetic Olympic torch for human rights arrives in Malta
By MaltaMedia News
Aug 1, 2008 - 3:50:07 PM

Since March 30, "June", a short meditative poem by imprisoned Chinese journalist Shi Tao on the 1989 protests of Tiananmen Square, has been translated into over a hundred languages in a relay journey across the planet. As part of a final lap of solidarity across Europe, Asia and the Pacific, "June" arrives in Malta on August 1.

To honour the true planetary spirit of the Olympics, and in solidarity with all writers imprisoned due to lack of freedom of expression in China and beyond, members of International PEN, the worldwide association of writers, have organised a global relay of Shi Tao's short poem "June", a meditation on the 1989 massacre in Tiananmen Square.

The poem relay began in Athens on March 30, and for the first few months roughly followed the route of the Olympic torch through Europe, the Americas, Africa, the Middle East, Southern and Eastern Asia and Australia, although with a greater number of stops. At each destination, "June" is recited outside PEN centres and selected venues in the local languages, and can be read and heard online at www.penpoemrelay.org. Now on a final lap across the globe before reaching Beijing on 6-8 August, "June" is in Malta on August 1.
 
To read Kevin Saliba and Antoine Cassar's rendering of "June" in Maltese, or to listen to a recording of the translation recited by Mark Vella, visit www.penpoemrelay.org and click on the pin above Malta on the world map.

There you can also read and listen to "June" in over a hundred other languages. The Maltese version can also be seen and heard on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JU-0UM9XJZI.



© Copyright 2008 by MaltaMedia.com