Amidst a large gathering from the Galilee and the Carmel, in the old house at the Dr. Adib al-Qasim Hussein Museum, in the center of the old Rameh and the heart of the neighborhood inhabited by the Hussein family for several centuries, the tenth anniversary of the passing of their family member, the great Palestinian pan-Arab poet Samih al-Qasim, was commemorated through an initiative by the museum in partnership with the Samih al-Qasim Foundation on the evening of August 17, 2024.
The writer Nasib Adib Hussein, director of the museum and mistress of ceremonies, noted that this evening was the museum's first activity since the start of the war on the Gaza Strip, serving as a modest tribute to the great poet, who is cherished deeply by his family, his village, and his homeland. The anniversary falling on August 19th constitutes a painful memory for the family, especially during a bloody and dark period that Palestine is going through, where Samih al-Qasim, his strength of will, and the flowing hope in his words—which his people always drew from—are sorely missed.
The evening's segments covered various aspects of al-Qasim's literary life, including poetry, the art of oratory, journalism, and creative artistic contributions.
In an intervention by writer and critic Dr. Nabih al-Qasim, the poet's cousin, he shared with the attendees the impact and difficulty of the personal loss, and discussed the distinction of Samih's poetry, the literature of resistance, and his courage in confrontation and challenges within his poetry.
Meanwhile, artist Ahmed Abu Saloum presented an intervention on Samih al-Qasim's recitation style, stating: "The voice was a flexible tool for the poet; with a deep, booming voice, he would take you and soar with you, then descend with infinite tenderness, carrying you with his vocabulary on the wing of a reed, so that you fly with him," presenting a few examples of poems.
Journalist and political analyst Wadih Awawdeh presented an intervention about his time as a colleague of Samih al-Qasim at the *Kul al-Arab* newspaper, emphasizing that working alongside him was a pleasure, and noting that he personally benefited a great deal in his journalistic work from al-Qasim's experience, while mentioning some personal events they shared.
For his part, Watan Samih al-Qasim spoke about the difficulty and bitterness of losing his poet father, and about the Foundation's recent work in seeking to spread al-Qasim's cultural legacy globally and preserve it through a planned museum in the village, as well as the challenges facing the project.
The audience was delighted by "Little Samih," Samih Yasser al-Qasim, as he recited his grandfather's poem "I Declare It" (A'linuha), followed by the poem he wrote for him at the time of his birth.
On the artistic side, mime artist Said Salameh presented a theatrical piece titled "A Village Tale," inspired by a poem of Layla al-Adani, accompanied by music by Lebanese artist Marcel Khalife. Artist Ahmed Abu Saloum performed and sang the poem "I Tell the World" (Ahki lil-Alam).
The closing contribution came from artist Marcel Khalife with a recorded message as a tribute to al-Qasim's soul, concluding with the melody of "Standing Tall I Walk" (Montasib al-Qamah Amshi), which artist Abu Saloum continued to play while singing along with the audience.
The evening also included a screening of poems by al-Qasim in his own voice, edited by the Samih al-Qasim Foundation, accompanied by a small book exhibition.
