When the United Nations Educational Scientific Cultural Organization (UNESCO) established World Poetry Day in 1999, the goal was to promote every aspect of poetry. Today, poets, teachers and students, the media and the community can work together to promote this important art form in many different ways including hosting a poetry ready, sharing poems in the print and online media and using social networks to promote poetry.
Host a Poetry Reading
To commemorate World Poetry Day, poets can host a poetry reading to educate the audience about poetry. Poets should promote the reading heavily through the local media, social networks, flyers and other means. They should present poetry that exhibits the different types of poems – haikus, sonnets etc. Poets can also share their own work along with work from notable poets such as Pablo Neruda, Maya Angelou or the poems of influential persons such as Marcus Garvey.
Host a Poetry Competition for School Students
Poets can join with local businesses and/or the local government agency responsible for education or the local UNESCO office to host a poetry competition for the students in the community. Prizes can be modest because the goal of the competition is to encourage young people to write poetry. Set guidelines that explain the length, theme and deadlines. Promote the competition heavily and acknowledge the winners on or before World Poetry Day to build the momentum of the celebration.
Share Poetry at Schools
In addition to hosting a poetry competition, a good way to promote poetry to the youth is to visit local schools to share inspirational pieces. Finds poems that tell a story, have interesting rhyme schemes or alliteration to keep the young listeners’ attention. Encourage students who write poetry to share theirs as well on that day and always.
Publish Poems in the Local Newspapers, Online Publications & on Social Networks
Work with the local newspapers in your area to publish poems. It would also be good to write a short article about what World Poetry Day is all about. Share poems that are diverse and touch different themes. Be sure to ask the local paper or website if there is a fee for publishing the poems. Social networks also provide a good medium for sharing poetry because there is no cost and poems can reach a wide cross-section of friends, family and the community.
Organize a Radio or Television Program About Poetry
Poems are nice to read, but the message comes across stronger when it is shared verbally. Check with the local radio stations or television stations to organize a show or to visit an existing program to discuss and share poems with the listeners. I have visited radio shows in St. Thomas, USVI and Tortola, BVI and the response has always been positive. It is also very encouraging when other persons from the community call in to share their poems as well.
Perform Religious Poems in Church
Sharing religious poems in church is good because the audience is more familiar to the poet. As poetry is the basis for the hymns that are sung in church, new religious poems provide new expression for the upcoming generation.
Publish a Chapbook of Poems
A great option for celebrating World Poetry Day is for poets or students to publish a chapbook of poetry. A chapbook is a small book of less than thirty pages and is often self-published. A poetry chapbook is a good way for struggling poets or students to raise funds because the book can be printed at minimal cost and sold.
A Note about Poems and Copyright
Be sure to add the copyright symbol (©) at the end of the poems with your name to ensure that readers know that the work is yours. For more information about copyrighting in the US, please visit the US Copyright Office and in the UK, please visit the Intellectual Property Office.
The above list is not exhaustive because there are many ways to promote poetry for World Poetry Day. Poets have to seek out new opportunities and venues to spread the appreciation of poetry in their community. Visit the UNESCO website for more information about the commemoration of World Poetry Day in the world.
For more about World Poetry Day and poetry, read at Suite101: March 21 Commemorates World Poetry Day: Celebrating Poets, Poetry and the Impact on the World and Tips for Poets on How to Organize a Poetry Reading.
Linette Rabsatt - I am an enthusiastic writer who has been writing on various topics for over three years for online and print publications.
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