Turkish Cypriot Poet and Novelist Fikret Demirağ was commemorated with his poems at the European University of Lefke under the frame work of 1^st International Fikret Demirağ Poem Festival organized between the dates of 1-3 December 2017          .“Mediterranean Poem” themed panel was held at EUL Law Faculty Great Lecture Theater on December 1^st 2017. Anna Maria Farabbi, Ogün Kayman and Prof. Dr. Saadettin Yıldız attended the panel moderated by Ümit İnatçı as speakers.

Pointing out the importance of Fikret Demirağ who is a Mediterranean poet, in the field of poetry, İnatçı said that, “The day we lost him, we promised that we will not forget him, we will not let him to be forgotten. This event is based on our promise”. İnatçı stated the speaker’s views on Mediterranean and poetry, and Mediterranean poet and started the panel.

Mediterranean Poetry was addressed from different points of view

Assimilating the geography of poetry with carpet, Farabbi said that if a thread is pulled out from that carpet, the carpet would be destroyed. Farabbi said that, “If see Mediterraneanism as a carpet and if we see ourselves as a thread on that carpet, we can think like this; this powerful unity can reveal a true Mediterranean identity”. Farabi expressed that the poetry of Mediterranean is a distinctive importance when compared to the poetry of America, Asia and Japan. Farrabi said that every poet reflected the color and voice of his region, and from there they have reached a universal language.

Saying that Mediterraneanism has its own lifestyle and philosophy of life, Kaymak stated that the Mediterranean people produced the products of their own art cultures themselves. Saying that they are common features in Mediterranean poetry in general, Kaymak expressed that these are the characteristics of visual striking, melodic richness, lyricism, complex realism, and establishing sense ties between past and present.

Yıldız stated that the poet’s character was hidden in the language of poetry and thus it is the most reliable source of evaluation. Yıldız pointed out that Demirağ was inspired by subjects such as complaints about the era, longing for childhood, homeland, character, separation, hunger for artist, wars, love, guilt, etc. in his poems.

The panel ended with the question and answer section held after the vocalization of Fikret Demirağ’s poems by participants. The poetry festival will continue with various activities in Lefke, Soli Ruins and Bademliköy on December 2th and 3^rd.