WS80 International Cultural Exchange Program Presents Dialogue Through Spoken Word

      The Wole Soyinka Project in partnership with Unchained Voices, www.digitalblackonline.com, Taruwa and Freedom Hall presents Dialogue Through Spoken Word. This event will be taking place on the 11th of July 2014 at the University of Lagos Main Auditorium, and on the 13th and 14th of July at the Cultural Centre in Abeokuta .  Dialogue through Spoken Word will consist of a constellation of performance poets coming together as part of the series of events marking the 80th birthday of Prof. Wole Soyinka.  The fifth Wole Soyinka International Cultural Exchange Project tagged Open Door Series is a product of Zmirage Multimedia Limited led by Mr. Teju Kareem.  Producer of the project, Lillian Amah-Aluko, stated that groundwork is being done to ensure that this year’s edition of the event will be memorable and hopes that it will supersede past events in quality and standard.  ‘‘We are working hard so that we can have a well-packaged event of international standard. When the event starts between July 7 and 14, it will be seen that it has become a major brand not only in Nigeria but across the world. WS 80 is very significant to us at Z-mirage for two reasons.  First, the project will enter its fifth year as a cultural advocacy initiative and two, the face of the project will be 80. It is going to be a landmark event because there are so many individuals that will be involved in it,’’ Amah-Aluko stated.  This event will feature renowned poets both nationally and internationally such as Mutabaruka (Jamaica) Javon Johnson (USA) Efe Paul Azino, Sage Hasson, Jumoke Verissimo, Dike Chukwumerije, Donna Ogunnaike, Wana Udobang, Jeffrey Jaiyeola Plumbline and many more.  The maiden edition of The International Cultural Exchange Project took place in July 2010. Project WS (timed to coincide with the birthday of Prof. Wole Soyinka annually) has been successfully executed in the past four years. (WS76 in 2010, WS77 in 2011, WS78 in 2012 and WS79 in 2013) to mark his 76th, 77th, 78th and 79th birthdays respectively.  The Project has 3 main aspects: The essay competition which is open to Nigerian Secondary School students anywhere in the world, stage plays featuring renowned Nigerian and international actors and advocacy lectures. For more information, visit http://opendoorseries.com/.