World Poetry Day

A day extremely important for art and poetry that commemorates the history of lyrical writing and artistic sensibility.

World Poetry Day. Source: Google

"Poetry is finer and more philosophical than history; for poetry expresses the universal, and history only the particular”. –Aristotle

Celebrated annually on March 21st, World Poetry Day celebrates one of humanity's most prized forms of cultural and linguistic expression and identity. Practiced throughout history in every culture and continent, poetry speaks to our common humanity and shared values, transforming the simplest of poetry into powerful catalysts for dialogue and peace.

It celebrates acknowledging poetry's unique ability to capture the creative spirit of the human psyche. World Poetry Day celebrates one of the most precious forms of human cultural and linguistic expression and identity.

UNESCO first declared 21 March as World Poetry Day at its 30th session in Paris in 1999. It aims to support linguistic diversity through poetic expression and increase the chances of hearing endangered languages. World Poetry Day honors poets, revives the oral tradition of poetry recitals, promotes the reading, writing and teaching of poetry, and promotes the fusion of poetry with other arts such as drama, dance, music and painting. It is also an opportunity to promote and increase the visibility of poetry and increase the presence of poetry in the media. Poetry continues to connect people across continents and numerous poets, authors and scholars are invited to participate in the celebration.

This day is also celebrated by writing poetry all over the world through competitions and conferences. Discussions around poetry and literature are facilitated and discussed. Cinema and Art also translate and use poetry to keep it alive. Books are released, publishers have meetings all over the world just to celebrate poetry.

Poetry uses rhythm and imagery to evoke emotions and the imagination of the reader. Poems can be rhymed using so-called metric and short syllables. Some poems written in so-called "free verse" do not use rhyme or meter. Poems are divided into paragraph-like stanzas and can be up to 12 lines long. The first known poetry is believed to have appeared in Babylon 4,000 years ago. There are countless types of poetry available today, including haiku, limericks, sonnets, and ballads.

Most United Nations Member States are today celebrating the day of combining the art of poetry with other creative art forms such as drama, painting and dance. Attempts are also being made to increase the “visibility of poetry in the media”.

According to the United Nations, the day is dedicated to promoting "linguistic diversity" through "poetic expression." This also gives voice to poetry in an endangered language.

On this day, children are introduced to the art of poetry. Several government and cultural institutions host exhibitions of poetry and its authors. Many poets organize book signings and recitals. The show invites poets to talk about their work and raise awareness of form. The day honors the small, independent publishers who believe in obscure poets and bring their works to audiences around the world.