Khalaf Ali Alkhalaf
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Khalaf Ali Alkhalaf | |
|---|---|
 Khalaf Ali Alkhalaf | |
| Born | 10 November 1969 |
| Known for | Poet, writer and political activism |
Khalaf Ali Alkhalaf (Arabic: خلف علي الخلف; born 10 November 1969 in Raqqa, Syria) is a Syrian poet and writer who holds Swedish citizenship. He lived in Saudi Arabia (1993–2001) and Greece (2001–2002) before returning to Syria and, once again, Saudi Arabia. In the spring of 2008, Alkhalaf moved to Alexandria, Egypt, where he currently resides.
Alkhalaf's first book, N of Shepherds, appeared in 2004. At the end of 2005, he founded the website Jidar, an independent cultural platform in support of freethinking as well as beginning and independent writers. Jidar has been rated first among the Syrian culture websites. The Syrian government blocked the website later.[1][2] Alkhalaf had been called for investigation by the Syrian Intelligence authorities almost every time he published one of his works.[1] The last investigation call Alkhalaf received by them was in the summer of 2007.
Later that year, Alkhalaf travelled to Saudi Arabia, where he continued writing articles criticising the Syrian government and calling for a democratic alternative. He also wrote an article titled "A Public Self-Declaration to the Syrian Security Authorities",[3] and he could not return to Syria until 2013, when Raqqa was no longer controlled by Bashar al-Assad's government.[4][5]
In September 2008, Alkhalaf, together with other Arab writers (Hamed Bin Aqeel and Suzan Khawatmi), founded Jidar for Culture and Publishing, a non-profit publishing house. At this time, Jidar began publishing many books, especially those criticizing the Assad regime, and diaries of Syrian prisoners.
He has regularly published his work in the newspaper Elaph since 2003, and his writings have also appeared on other websites and blogs like Jidar and Ahewar.[6] He has also published in many Arabic-language newspapers.
Alkhalaf was awarded a prize at the Fujairah International Monodrama Festival[7] competition in 2009.[8] He won the second prize by writing the script of a monodrama called "Gilgamesh Wears Tennis Shoes."
In addition to Elaph, Alkhalaf has published on newspaper and magazines sites in the Arab world.[9][10]
Khalaf studied Economics at the University of Aleppo. Additionally, he studied International Relations at Malmö University, Content Production at Malmö Yrkeshögskola, Digital Humanities at Kalmar University, and worked on a Master's program in Journalism at Södertörn University.
Bibliography
- 2004 N of Shepherds – poetry
- 2007 Al Tanzeel – poetry
- 2008 Kouhl of Desire – poetry[11]
- 2008 Stranger's Howling, a tale never been knocked by a bird – poetry[12]
- 2009 Poems on a Single Shoe – poetry[13]
- 2010 Gilgamesh Wears Tennis Shoes – Monodrama
- 2010 About the Country Without Hope: Al Assad Jr...His kingdom and his opposition – Political articles
- 2011 Black and White Votes – Dialogues with writers
- 2012 Two Facts and One Actor – Monodrama[14]
- 2013 Najla Bah and Qaradawi are Two Sides of the Same Coin – Political articles
- 2015 Diaries of Present Wartime – poetry[15]
- 2016 Diaries of Present Wartime – poetry English translation
- 2017 I am from Islamic State – Monodrama
- 2018 Diaries of Present Wartime – poetry German translation
- 2019 It is All About Senses – poetry
- 2021 The Sumerian Harranians – On Origin and Beliefs of Agrarian Class in Mesopotamia and Euphrates (with Qussai Muslat Alhwaidi)
Awards
- Second prize award of Ali Al-Safi poetry 2005 in Kuwait for his poem: "My Lord! My Black Unmatched to Tears; Lord" "مولاي.. يا أسوداً لايضاهى بدمع."
- At the Fujairah International Monodrama Festival competition in 2009.[7][8] Second prize for his script of a monodrama called "Gilgamesh Wears Tennis Shoes."
