HELMAND - Message of peace resonated in an annual poetry event held in the southern Helmand province of Afghanistan on Thursday last week.

Over 500 poets, writers and intellectuals from about over a dozen provinces of Afghanistan and some of them also from across the border in Pakistani cities of Quetta and Peshawar flocked to Helmand to participate in the event named “Helmand Seend” (or Helmand River) organized by the Helmand Governor’s Office, according to Dawood Ahmadi, the provincial spokesperson.

"Unlike in the past when topics of war used to dominate the event, the main theme of the poetry this year was peace and participants presented their poems highlighting importance of peace and stability in a society,” said Mr Ahmadi. “Moreover, the poets also presented anti-poppy and anti-war poems and highlighted the role of the youth in combating these elements. The poets also invited the youth to education and contribute to the rebuilding of their country."

The one-day Helmand Seend poetry event is mainly celebrated at this time of the year when the Helmand River rises to its peak due to melting of the snow in northern and central parts of the country. Poets from across the country get together at the bank of the Helmand River and present their poems.

Azizullah Popal, a correspondent of the local Afghan Independent Radio and the Hewad TV Kandahar, who covered the poetry event, said the poets from different provinces of Afghanistan shared through poems their common desire for peace.

By UNAMA Kandahar