The result of a decision made at the UNESCO session in Paris in 1999, March 21 is designated World Poetry Day, a day for cultural organizations, schools, libraries, and publishers worldwide to celebrate the art of poetry. The day is meant to “support linguistic diversity through poetic expression and to offer endangered languages the opportunity to be heard within their communities.”

As former Director-General of UNESCO Irina Bokova has said, “Poetry is one of the purest expressions of linguistic freedom. It is a component of the identity of peoples and it embodies the creative energy of culture, for it can be continuously renewed.”

In celebration of poetry around the world, please take a moment to learn more about the sampling of other poetry organizations and festivals listed below.

We also invite you to keep the celebration going by joining us in celebrating National Poetry Month every April.

International Poetry Organizations and Festivals

Australian Poetry

www.australianpoetry.org

Cork International Poetry Festival

http://www.corkpoetryfest.net/

Festival Internacional de Poesía de Bogotá

http://www.poesiabogota.org

Festival Internacional de Poesía de Quetzaltenango Guatemala

http://fipq.org/

Forward Art Foundation and National Poetry Day in the U.K.

http://www.forwardartsfoundation.org/

German Centre for Poetry and the Poesiefestival Berlin

http://www.literaturwerkstatt.org/en/poesiefestival-berlin/home/

International Poetry Nights in Hong Kong

http://www.ipnhk.com/

League of Canadian Poets

http://www.poets.ca/

Poetry International Rotterdam and the Poetry International Festival

http://www.poetryinternationalweb.net/pi/site/home/index/en

Poetry Ireland

www.poetryireland.ie

The Poetry Society

www.poetrysociety.org.uk

Scotland's International Poetry Festival

http://stanzapoetry.org/

Scottish Poetry Library

http://www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/

Tasmanian Poetry Festival

http://www.taspoetryfest.org/Tasmanian_Poetry_Festival/Welcome.html

ZEBRA Poetry Film Festival

http://www.literaturwerkstatt.org/en/literaturwerkstatt-berlin/home/