Unsilenced: Poems for Palestine Book Launch

On May 20, 2025, Daraja Press marked a significant literary and political moment with the launch of Unsilenced: Poems for Palestine, a stirring anthology edited by John P. Portelli. Bringing together the voices of 50 poets from across the globe, this collection weaves together art and activism, offering a lyrical testament to Palestinian resistance, resilience, and the enduring call for justice.

This special podcast episode presents a lightly edited recording of the powerful launch event in Ottawa, hosted by Adrian Harewood—award-winning journalist, professor at Carleton University’s School of Journalism and Communication, and former CBC anchor. With his decades of experience in media and cultural storytelling, Harewood guided an evening of profound reflection, where poetry became both witness and weapon against oppression.

The panel featured an extraordinary gathering of contributors, each lending their unique perspective to the conversation:

• John Portelli, the anthology’s editor, a poet, novelist, and professor emeritus whose work bridges academia and literary activism;
• Firoze Manji, Daraja Press publisher and public scholar, whose work centers African and global liberation struggles;
• Nahla Abdo, Carleton University professor and anti-colonial feminist scholar, whose research exposes the gendered violence of settler colonialism;
• Leila Marshy, writer and community organizer, whose novel The Philistine and family history inform her advocacy for Palestinian rights;
• Nibal Khalil, Palestinian anthropologist and gender studies expert, whose work amplifies marginalized voices;
• Shirani Rajapakse, award-winning Sri Lankan poet, whose writing explores themes of war, displacement, and healing;
• Omar Sabbagh, Lebanese-British poet and critic, whose forthcoming collection Night Settles Upon the City (Daraja Press) delves into Beirut’s layered histories;
• Xanthi Hondrou-Hill, Greek-German poet and translator, whose award-winning work bridges cultures and languages;
• Joseph Ogbonna, Nigerian poet and educator, whose verses resonate with historical and contemporary struggles.

Their readings and discussions illuminated how poetry can transcend borders, challenge silence, and forge solidarity. From personal narratives to collective calls for justice, Unsilenced is more than a book—it’s a movement.

Listen to this unforgettable day of words and resistance on Daraja Press’s podcast. Available now on all major platforms.

#UnsilencedPoems #PoetryForPalestine #LiteraryActivism #DarajaPress

Produced by Pierre Loiselle, Music by Arlo Maverick. Thanks for listening.

Between 2021 and 2023 West Africa saw three popular military coups. Assimi Goïta became the president of Mali in 2021, Ibrahim Traoré became the president of Burkina Faso in 2022, and Abdourahamane Tchiani, became the president of Niger in 2023. The three former French colonies expelled French and US military. They withdrew from ECOWAS, the Economic Community of West African States, and confederated, forming the Alliance of Sahel States. In French, that’s the Alliance des États du Sahel (AES). They announced their intention to cooperate on regional security, integration, sovereignty, and economic independence.

In January, they announced a common passport, and in February, they raised a common flag. In March, Togo signaled its intent to leave ECOWAS and join the landlocked Alliance, giving it access to the sea. There’s talk of Senegal and other bordering states following suit.

Host and producer Ann Garrison spoke to Eugene Puryear, author, journalist and Breakthrough News host, who attended the November 2024 Conference in Solidarity with the Peoples of the Sahel.
This podcast was first published by Pacifica Radio https://capitalismraceanddemocracy.org/2025/04/07/sahel-sovereignty-rises-afl-cios-foreign-arm-defunded-code-pink-calls-out-hands-off-hypocrisy-federal-workers-fight-echoes-patco/

The podcast discusses the growing alliance between Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger—collectively known as the Alliance of the Sahel States (AES)—as they solidify their partnership in defiance of Western influence, particularly from France and ECOWAS. The interview highlights their shared commitment to sovereignty, anti-imperialism, and regional security, including joint efforts against jihadist threats without reliance on foreign military support.

Key points include the AES nations' rejection of neocolonial policies, their alignment with alternative partners like Russia (via the Wagner Group), and their push for economic and military self-sufficiency. The conversation also touches on Libya’s potential role in supporting this alliance, given its historical influence in African geopolitics.

The interviewees frame the AES as a bold step toward Pan-African unity, challenging traditional power structures while facing internal and external pressures. The discussion suggests that this alliance could reshape West African dynamics, potentially inspiring other nations to resist foreign dominance in favor of regional cooperation.

Firoze Manji and Nnimmo Bassey discuss the environmental threats posed by the Trump administration's policies, particularly the withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and the prioritization of oil and gas drilling. Bassey highlights the severe environmental degradation in the Niger Delta, including contaminated water and soil, and the health impacts on local communities. He emphasizes the need for African unity and transformative leadership to combat these issues. Bassey also notes the broader implications for Africa, including potential environmental genocide in other regions like Senegal and Botswana. He calls for cultural and environmental education to foster sustainable practices and solidarity among African nations.