Il-Konkors tal- Poeżija għat-Tfal 2010 ġie fi tmiemu f'Lejla ta' Premjazzjoni li saret fil-Foyer tad-Diviżjoni tal-Edukazzjoni, il-Furjana, nhar il-Ġimgħa 11 ta' Frar 2011. Il-Lejla tmexxiet minn Dr Joseph Axiaq li flimkien ma' Dr Emmanuel Attard Cassar kienu jiffurmaw il-Kummissjoni fi ħdan il-Kumitat tal-Għaqda Poeti Maltin li ħadet ħsieb l-organizzazzjoni tal-Konkors.
Il-President tal-Għ.P.M., Alfred Massa f'Kelmtejn tal-Okkażjoni wera l-importanza ta' dan il-Konkors meta wieħed iħares lejn il-ġejjieni tal-poeżija f'pajjiżna. Massa fisser kif it-tfal l-ewwel għandhom jiġu mħajra jersqu lejn il-poeżija billi wieħed jurihom is-sbuħija u s-siwi tagħha. Li l-poeżija mhix xi ħaġa marbuta mal-eżamijiet biss. Tkun ħaġa tajba jekk il-ġenituri jagħtu eżempju lil uliedhom billi huma wkoll jaqraw u jisimgħu xi poeżiji fil-kumpanija ta' wliedhom. Imbagħad it-tfal għandhom jitħallew fil-libertà jekk jitħajrux jiktbu xi versi, jużaw liema lingwa jridu. Imma jekk jitħajru jagħmlu dan tajjeb li dejjem ikunu ggwidati kemm mill-ġenituri kif ukoll mill-għalliema.
Lejn tmiem id-diskors tiegħu Massa rringrazzja lill-Ġurija, lill-Kummissjoni u lid-Djar tal-Pubblikazzjoni Agius & Agius u Merlin Library, it-tnejn ta' Blata l-Bajda għar-rigali li offrew lir-rebbieħa.
Il-poetessa Therese Pace qrat ir-Rapport tal-Ġurija li tagħha kienet Chairman. Fir-Rapport issemmew xi nuqqasijiet li wettqu xi tfal, iżda ssemmew ukoll il-merti ta' bosta xogħlijiet, li b'kollox qabżu l-200. Ta' min jgħid li did-darba l-Konkors kien miftuħ biss għal studenti ta' bejn id-disgħa u l-ħdax-il sena.
Imbagħad it-tfal preżenti qraw il-versi rebbieħa tagħhom u rċevew Diplomi u Kotba mill-President tal-Għ.P.M., Alfred Massa.
Ir-riżultat kien dan: 1. L-Ambjent Malti ta’ Josephine Vella; 2. What I Like ta’ Mark Delicata; 3. Il-Ferħ tal-Milied ta’ Kevin Cassar; 4. Talba lil Ġesù Bambin ta’ Jesmar Gauci; 5. The Poem ta’ Maria Galea; 6. Il-Milied ta’ Andrew Schembri; 7. It-Twissija t’Ommi ta’ Erica Dingli; 8. In-Nannu Karm ta’ James Francalanza; 9. L-Istudju ta’ Mariah Camilleri; 10. Il-Festa ta’ Nicole Farrugia. Issemmew b’ġieħ il-poeżiji Milied ta’ Kimverly May Catania u Iz-Zija Rina ta’ Erica Dingli.
THE CHILDREN’S POETRY COMPETITION 2010
The children’s Poetry Competition 2010 came to a close with the presentation of prizes to the young winners at the foyer of the Eduaction Division, Floriana, on the 11 February. The evening was presented by Dr Joseph Axiaq who, together with Dr Emmanuel Attard Cassar, was part of the Għaqda Poeti Maltin’s Committee who saw to the organization of the competition.
In a short speech, Mr Alfred Massa, president of the Association, highlighted the importance of such competitions given the bleak predicament of poetry in Malta. Massa stressed that children should first be brought to poetry and shown its beauty and its worth. Children should extricate poetry from the dreariness of exams and parents would do well to be of example to their offspring by enjoying a poetry read en famille. The children should be left free to express themselves in verse, in whatever language they may opt for. But in such a case, parental guidance should be sought as well as help from teachers.
At the end of his speech, Massa thanked the Judging Panel, the Commission and publishers Agius and Agius Ltd, and Merlin Library, both of Blata l-Bajda, for the gifts they offered to the winners.
Poetess Therese Pace then read the report of the Judging Panel, which she chaired. She listed a number of shortcomings in the 200 poems entered, but very positive remarks were not lacking. One must keep in mind that here the average age for the competing children was between 9 and 11 years.
The winners then read out their respective poems and were presented with diplomas and books by Mr Massa.
These were the winners: 1. L-Ambjent Malti – Josephine Vella; 2. What I Like – Mark Delicata; 3. Il-Ferħ tal-Milied– Kevin Cassar; 4. Talba lil Ġesù Bambin – Jesmar Gauci; 5. The Poem – Maria Galea; 6. Il-Milied – Andrew Schembri; 7. It-Twissija t’Ommi – Erica Dingli; 8. In-Nannu Karm – James Francalanza; 9. L-Istudju – Mariah Camilleri; 10. Il-Festa – Nicole Farrugia.
Honorary mentions went to: Milied - Kimberley May Catania and Iz-Zija Rina – Erica Dingli.
Alfred Palma
