AUTUMN FESTIVAL 2009 POETRY COMPETITION

The annual Poetry Competition organised by the Ministry of Culture in conjunction with the Gibraltar Chronicle and the Department of Education and Training has attracted a total of 270 entries. The Minister for Culture, the Hon Edwin Reyes, presented the awards on Wednesday 11 November 2009 at 4.30pm at the Charles Hunt Room in the John Mackintosh Hall.

Commenting on the competition Mr Reyes said:

'The Poetry Competition, now in its third year, was devised to incorporate a new element alongside music, theatre, art and other established aspects of the Festivals. Extending the range of artistic and literary fields already covered can only auger well, especially for our youth. I am extremely pleased with the high number of entries again this year but, more importantly, with the quality of the entries.

I would like to thank everyone involved in this venture, including the Gibraltar Chronicle, the Department of Education and Training and especially the judges Mr Charles Durante, Mrs Aida Delaney and Mrs Patsy Scott. However, my biggest personal gratitude goes in particular to the many children who put pen to paper and in doing so allow us to enjoy the fruits of their vivid imagination.'

The Prize winners are:

Overall Winner Jackie Canessa 'Trees to bone'
Highly Commended Jacqueline Anderson 'It might have been an echo'
James Gracia 'A Night Journey'
Francisco Javier Oliva 'Narcissus of the South (District)'
Bathsheba Peralta 'Gibraltar'
Winner Years 4 - 7 Jawwad Mihran Haider 'The Bald Eagle'
Highly Commended Ana Maria Sharma 'Love'
Annabella de la Chica 'Tall & Short'
Axel Villa 'Metaphor Poem'
Camelia Sanchez 'Little Things'
David Garcia 'Pirate Encounter'
David Hitchcock 'My Christmas Gift'
Faith Torres 'Winter & Summer'
Frankie Hernandez 'Growing Up'
Gabriella Grech 'The Wonders of the World'
Ilyanna Casciaro 'The Planet we live on'
James Lavarello 'The View'
Jennifer Dickson 'Sadness'
Jerome Gerada 'War & Peace'
Lauren Leppard 'To make a moon kitchen'
Mei Posso 'The Woods at Night'
Niall King 'The Dragonfly'
Winner Years 8 - 11 Amy Montegriffo 'A Disembodied Voice' Highly Commended Brandon Rowbottom 'My Companion'
Winner Years 12 - 13 Maddison Brett 'Remember this day'

The Overall winner received a £300 cash prize and a trophy donated by the Ministry of Culture.

The winner in each school year category received a £50 voucher and a pen kindly donated by the Gibraltar Chronicle, as well as a trophy donated by the Ministry of Culture. All highly commended works received due certificates. All winning entries shall be published in the Gibraltar Chronicle.

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