Poets from Iran, Macedonia and Cuba will perform literary readings in their native languages and in English at the free event “Art as Public Voice” to be held on September 11, 2008 at Seton Hill University. The free, public event, hosted by the JoAnne Boyle World Affairs Forum and City of Asylum/Pittsburgh, will be held at 7 p.m. in the Reeves Memorial Library on Seton Hill’s Greensburg, Pa. campus. For more information on the JoAnne Boyle World Affairs Forum at Seton Hill University or on this event, please contact Dr. Frank Klapak, Seton Hill professor of communication and education, at klapak@setonhill.edu.

Information on the poets that will be performing at Seton Hill:

Maryam Ala Amjadi (writes in English): is a leading young Iranian poet. She has worked as a Persian-to-English news interpreter and writes in English, her second language. Her collection of poetry, “Me, I, and Myself” was published in English and Persian in 2003, and more poems can be found in the Tehran Times Daily and the web magazine Thanal. She attends this event courtesy of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the US Department of State.

Nikola Madzirov (writes in Macedonian): is one of Macedonia's most distinguished poets, as well as an essayist and translator. He has published five collections, including “Relocated Stone,” which won both the European Hubert Burda Poetry Award and the Miladinov Brothers Award in 2007. Madzirov's work has been translated into dozens of languages, including English. He attends this event courtesy of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the US Department of State.

Rogelio Saunders (writes in Spanish): began his career in Cuba as part of an informal group of artists called "Spirogira." A poet, short story writer, novelist and essayist, his most recent publications include the poetry collection “Fábula de ínsulas no escritas” and “La cinta sin fin,” a volume of short stories. He has also published an essay in “Autodafe”, a journal associated with Cities of Asylum. Saunders currently resides in Spain. He participates in this event courtesy of the William B. Quarton Foundation.

City of Asylum/Pittsburgh provides sanctuary to writers exiled under threat of death, imprisonment or persecution in their native countries. For more information, please visit www.cityofasylumpittsburgh.org.

The JoAnne Boyle World Affairs Forum was named by the University faculty and is dedicated to Seton Hill University President JoAnne Boyle, who consistently encourages every member of the academic community to be an informed global citizen. The forum series brings speakers and artists to Westmoreland County to address global issues.