UP University Professor Emeritus Gemino H. Abad ‘55, renowned Filipino poet and literary scholar, was invited by Allegorien in Rome’s cultural association as one of the featured poets for the third Mediterraenea Intercontinental Festival of Literature and Arts to be held in Rome last July 10 to 26.
Abad read his poems with other poets in the town of Cerveteri and the University of Rome La Sapienza. His poem, The Pope Expels Certain Saints, was exhibited in a Roman public square with other poets’ works and included in an anthology of poems on Rome. He also delivered a public lecture at the University of Rome La Sapienza.
He was the only Filipino invited to the cultural event, which gathered poets, writers and artists from the Mediterranean nations, as well as writers who, while they may not be Mediterranean,” recognize themselves ideally and expressively in the dialogical and multicultural values of a common Mediterranean identity.”