TRIBUTES BY UN OFFICIALS MARK PASSING OF PALESTINIAN POET

TRIBUTES BY UN OFFICIALS MARK PASSING OF PALESTINIAN POET New York, Aug 13 2008 4:10PM Senior United Nations officials in the Middle East have joined their voices to those paying tribute to the late Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish, who was laid to rest today.

The UN's Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process (UNSCO), Robert Serry, sent his condolences to the Palestinian people following the death of the 67-year-old writer who died on Saturday.

Mr. Darwish passionately voiced the aspirations of the Palestinian people for justice, freedom and statehood with eloquence and artistry, <"http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=43252&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html">said Mr. Serry.

The Commissioner-General of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) said that with Mr. Darwish's passing, "the world has lost a uniquely compelling voice and a passionate advocate against dispossession and the pain it engenders."

Karen AbuZayd added that Mr. Darwish was the poet of exile, the refugees' poet, whose universal language of dislocation and alienation will be heard for many years to come.

2008-08-13 00:00:00.000

________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/