Edinburgh's Mushaira 2008

The Edinburgh’s Seventeenth Mushaira was a great success.  Over 130 people enjoyed an evening of poetry reading on 18th October 2008 at McDonald Road Library.

Comments on this year's Mushaira

This year's Mushaira was organised by Edinburgh City Libraries in partnership with Bazm-e-Urdu Scotland, funded by Awards For, All, Big Lottery fund and supported by several Asian community groups and individuals who are keen to keep the tradition of Asian poetry alive in Edinburgh.

It was a great occasion for Edinburgh city Libraries when Councillor Deirdre Brock officially opened the Mushaira 2008 and launched the first Mushaira website in the first UNESCO City of Literature. Councillor Deirdre Brock invited Scottish Asian poets to sign up to get their own poetry published online.

In accordance with tradition, the guest poets were invited on to the stage. Mr Saeed Khan, a poet and member of the Mushaira Working Group, superbly conducted the event. The participants in the Mushaira included leading Urdu and Punjabi poets from London, Kirkcaldy and Glasgow and ten local poets recited their own poetry in Gujarati, English, Punjabi and Urdu.

The audience enjoyed listening to well known poets and equally appreciated and encouraged the local poets which was demonstrated by the warm welcome each poet received.

The event was video recorded; copies of the video will be available from Edinburgh City Libraries in due course.

Comments on Edinburgh Mushaira 2008

"I would just like to say that this years mushaira has been a great success and very enjoyable. The Mushaira web site is a great recognition for the Asian community here in the UK. I hope that the Mushaira web site will have ongoing success in the future inshaallah!
Congratulations to you on the great success of this year's Mushaira 2008".
Tahir

"Now as we have Edinburgh's Mushaira website, the world will know that Mushira happens in Edinburgh. This is a very proud moment for the whole community. Thank you very much for holding Mushaira, all the credit goes to you and your team."
Manjula

"Just to say how much I enjoyed Mushaira. I was intrigued by how actively the audience responded to the poets, quite unlike the silence of even the most enthusiastic western audiences!"
Fay

"A chance to say how successful the Mushira was.  I think of all the events we have attended this was the best - CONGRATULATIONS"
Roy

"Congratulations on the completion 17th Mushaira. It was well organised as usual. It is all due to your efforts and personal interest."
Hasan Beg

"Thank you so much for organising a splendid evening with poets from different parts of Scotland and England. I thoroughly enjoyed it and hope you will organise more events like this in future. I believe these gatherings provide an opportunity for new comer like me to make positive contribution in terms of culture and literature."
Dr.Qasim Khan