Samer Raimouny
Encyclopedia
Samer Raimouny is an Anglophone
Jordan
ian poet
and a campaigner for child rights. He recited at the grand opening of the 2nd World Culture Forum and at the IPEC international day against child labor. He resides in Paris
where he is pursuing his Ph.D in International Relations à l'école des hautes études internationales. Disciplined in Commercial Arbitration and Conflict Resolution he worked in Investment Consultancy, Commercial mediation and conflict management as well as a presence in the intellectual circles as a poet campaigning for contemporary humanitarian issues.
to philanthropic Jordanian Noblesse Oblige
, his father, an industrialist and the Senator for Jerash Governorate
in northern Jordan, his mother is an English Literature
teacher from the city of as-Salt. He is the youngest of their four children.
, Sloane Square
London
in November 2008 an excerpt of his poem Diaspora of the Soul, Refugee
Mary
and Child Highlighting the plight of the longest refugee problem in modern history, that of the Palestinians in an event organised by the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign that showcased poetry and prose as well as classical and contemporary Music from the Levant
.
He launched his campaigns for Human Rights
awareness as defined by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
in Jordan in January 2004 at a charity fundraiser for Cancer Treatment of patients in 3rd World Countries his poem 'of Strength and Sakina' an ode to the internal strength of patients suffering from untreatable diseases and acknowledgment to the influence of Gibran Khalil Gibran on his choice of poetic form and structural inspiration. In March of the Same year, he recited another piece which has proven hard to digest in light of the then-ongoing American
operations in Iraq
which was a no holds barred look at Arab
identity and the reflection of current events on its malformations, the poem is called 'Diaspora of the Soul: the Taboo of Allau Akbar' which he recited with a disclaimer beforehand but still was advised to refrain from further recitation of the said piece, he was further banned from reciting the same piece after his debut recital at the American University of Beirut
, Lebanon
. The piece contained logical scenarios to what was further coming to the region which audiences then were not ready to acknowledge but which now in retrospect has been unfortunately proved right with regards to Human Rights and Refugee issues.
In June 2005, He recited at the International Programme for the Elimination of Child Labour and the International Labour Organization
's SCREAM (Supporting Children's Rights through Education, the Arts and the Media) project for the World Day Against Child Labour
. The Poem '11:30pm 2 bubblegums sold' looks at child labour from the prospective of a seven year old child selling gum at a traffic light and his contemplation of why he is there as opposed to the people he is trying to sell to.
In December of the same year he recited at the 2nd World Cultural Forum Grand Opening Ceremonies, the theme being "investing in culture for social justice and development." his poem was instrumental to setting the mood of the forums workshops and was an introduction to Jordan as the location of Davos
World Economic Forum, his poem Green Palms... Ode to the Land describes Jordan as:
Some say it is the Holyland
Others say it is the Middle East's lifeline.
The paradigm of achievable expanses...While
Others remain in doubt of all its realistic stances.
Others not really forming an opinion...
Not hot-spotted enough to be given their glances.
" ... Makes a point ... logical, progressive and well structured one feels of its importance, no doubt that it is in English for an Audience mainly of Europeans… debuting on the literary scene in full expressive and creative force, with an ability to read symbolisms, decipher cryptics and address them with unique form that is very well palatable ..." translated from the original Arabic:
سـامـر الريمـوني ... " يحدد موقفـا ً ... منطـقيا ً و تقدمـيا ً عقلانيـا ً يشـعر المرء بضرورتـه ،
لا وسيما أنه ناطقا ً بالإنجليزية أمام جمهور أغلبيته من الأوروبيين ... مقبلا ً على المشهد الثقافي بطاقة
الإبداع وقوته ، يقرأ الرسائل ويلتقط الإشارات و يعيد توجيهها بعد هضمها في ثوبٍ مختلف لكنه مقبول جدا
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
ian poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and a campaigner for child rights. He recited at the grand opening of the 2nd World Culture Forum and at the IPEC international day against child labor. He resides in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
where he is pursuing his Ph.D in International Relations à l'école des hautes études internationales. Disciplined in Commercial Arbitration and Conflict Resolution he worked in Investment Consultancy, Commercial mediation and conflict management as well as a presence in the intellectual circles as a poet campaigning for contemporary humanitarian issues.
Biography
Born in DamascusDamascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
to philanthropic Jordanian Noblesse Oblige
Noblesse oblige
Noblesse oblige is a French phrase literally meaning "nobility obliges".The Dictionnaire de l’Académie française defines it thus:# Whoever claims to be noble must conduct himself nobly....
, his father, an industrialist and the Senator for Jerash Governorate
Jerash Governorate
Jerash is one of the governorates of Jordan; it is located north of Amman, Jordan's capital. It carrys the name of its capital and largest city, Jerash City....
in northern Jordan, his mother is an English Literature
English literature
English literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; for example, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Joseph Conrad was Polish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, J....
teacher from the city of as-Salt. He is the youngest of their four children.
Activist work
Recited at Cadogan HallCadogan Hall
Cadogan Hall is a 900-seat capacity concert hall on Sloane Terrace in Chelsea / Belgravia in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, United Kingdom...
, Sloane Square
Sloane Square
Sloane Square is a small hard-landscaped square on the boundaries of the fashionable London districts of Knightsbridge, Belgravia and Chelsea, located southwest of Charing Cross, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The square is part of the Hans Town area designed in 1771 by Henry...
London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in November 2008 an excerpt of his poem Diaspora of the Soul, Refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
Mary
Mary (mother of Jesus)
Mary , commonly referred to as "Saint Mary", "Mother Mary", the "Virgin Mary", the "Blessed Virgin Mary", or "Mary, Mother of God", was a Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee...
and Child Highlighting the plight of the longest refugee problem in modern history, that of the Palestinians in an event organised by the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign that showcased poetry and prose as well as classical and contemporary Music from the Levant
Levant
The Levant or ) is the geographic region and culture zone of the "eastern Mediterranean littoral between Anatolia and Egypt" . The Levant includes most of modern Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel, the Palestinian territories, and sometimes parts of Turkey and Iraq, and corresponds roughly to the...
.
He launched his campaigns for Human Rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
awareness as defined by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a declaration adopted by the United Nations General Assembly . The Declaration arose directly from the experience of the Second World War and represents the first global expression of rights to which all human beings are inherently entitled...
in Jordan in January 2004 at a charity fundraiser for Cancer Treatment of patients in 3rd World Countries his poem 'of Strength and Sakina' an ode to the internal strength of patients suffering from untreatable diseases and acknowledgment to the influence of Gibran Khalil Gibran on his choice of poetic form and structural inspiration. In March of the Same year, he recited another piece which has proven hard to digest in light of the then-ongoing American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
operations in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
which was a no holds barred look at Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
identity and the reflection of current events on its malformations, the poem is called 'Diaspora of the Soul: the Taboo of Allau Akbar' which he recited with a disclaimer beforehand but still was advised to refrain from further recitation of the said piece, he was further banned from reciting the same piece after his debut recital at the American University of Beirut
American University of Beirut
The American University of Beirut is a private, independent university in Beirut, Lebanon. It was founded as the Syrian Protestant College by American missionaries in 1866...
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
. The piece contained logical scenarios to what was further coming to the region which audiences then were not ready to acknowledge but which now in retrospect has been unfortunately proved right with regards to Human Rights and Refugee issues.
In June 2005, He recited at the International Programme for the Elimination of Child Labour and the International Labour Organization
International Labour Organization
The International Labour Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that deals with labour issues pertaining to international labour standards. Its headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland. Its secretariat — the people who are employed by it throughout the world — is known as the...
's SCREAM (Supporting Children's Rights through Education, the Arts and the Media) project for the World Day Against Child Labour
World Day Against Child Labour
The World Day Against Child Labour is an International Labour Organization–sanctioned holiday for the purpose of raising awareness and activism to prevent child labour in both economic and military fields. It is currently held each June 12...
. The Poem '11:30pm 2 bubblegums sold' looks at child labour from the prospective of a seven year old child selling gum at a traffic light and his contemplation of why he is there as opposed to the people he is trying to sell to.
In December of the same year he recited at the 2nd World Cultural Forum Grand Opening Ceremonies, the theme being "investing in culture for social justice and development." his poem was instrumental to setting the mood of the forums workshops and was an introduction to Jordan as the location of Davos
Davos
Davos is a municipality in the district of Prättigau/Davos in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland. It has a permanent population of 11,248 . Davos is located on the Landwasser River, in the Swiss Alps, between the Plessur and Albula Range...
World Economic Forum, his poem Green Palms... Ode to the Land describes Jordan as:
Some say it is the Holyland
Others say it is the Middle East's lifeline.
The paradigm of achievable expanses...While
Others remain in doubt of all its realistic stances.
Others not really forming an opinion...
Not hot-spotted enough to be given their glances.
Reviews
a review by a Jordanian Daily Ad-Dustour Newspaper Cultural editor describes Raimouny's writing as:" ... Makes a point ... logical, progressive and well structured one feels of its importance, no doubt that it is in English for an Audience mainly of Europeans… debuting on the literary scene in full expressive and creative force, with an ability to read symbolisms, decipher cryptics and address them with unique form that is very well palatable ..." translated from the original Arabic:
سـامـر الريمـوني ... " يحدد موقفـا ً ... منطـقيا ً و تقدمـيا ً عقلانيـا ً يشـعر المرء بضرورتـه ،
لا وسيما أنه ناطقا ً بالإنجليزية أمام جمهور أغلبيته من الأوروبيين ... مقبلا ً على المشهد الثقافي بطاقة
الإبداع وقوته ، يقرأ الرسائل ويلتقط الإشارات و يعيد توجيهها بعد هضمها في ثوبٍ مختلف لكنه مقبول جدا