World Poetry Day: Poetry in Many Languages
World Poetry Day was conceived by UNESCO as a project of heritage preservation in 1999, and is practiced around the world each spring. We hope you will join us in a multicultural poetry evening featuring poetry read by people of diverse ages and walks of life, in their own heritage languages. Friday, March 23rd at the Gas Station Arts Centre, you will hear by (to name just a few), musicians, students, academics, a chef, a nurse, a city councillor and a CBC host. There will be poetry readings in English, French, Ojibwe, Cree, Mandarin, Icelandic, Vietnamese, Spanish, German, ASL, Swahili, Yiddish and more.
“In the first Winnipeg Poet Laureate-sponsored poetry event I am privileged to host, we are highlighting the rich cultural diversity and many languages spoken in our city. Poetry was once widely practiced by everyone, young and old, educated or not. Children and grown-ups would memorize and recite the great poems of the heritage, and would also write or make up poems themselves for special occasions. Poetry has a magical quality to it that is also humbling, in that it often feels "inspired" by someone or something more powerful and beautiful and wise than we are. The wonderful thing about poetry is it can accommodate the entire range of human experience and expression, from silly to grand, serious to funny, playful to grief-stricken, small to epic, sometimes all at the same time!”
Di Brandt, Winnipeg’s First Poet LaureateWinnipeg’s Poet Laureate program was created and managed by the Winnipeg Arts Council. Through the creation of new works of poetry reflecting life in the city, public appearances and the creation of public engagement programs, the Poet Laureate will contribute to Winnipeg’s reputation as a city of the arts and facilitate connections between the arts, the city, and its citizens. Bring your friends and family and enjoy this innovative celebration of traditions and language flourishing in our multicultural city.
Friday, March 23, 2018 at 7:00 pm
Gas Station Theatre, River Avenue & Osborne Street
Admission by donation (Pay what you can)
Reception to follow
ASL-English Interpretation will be provided.
For interviews with Di Brandt or any of our other readers, please contact Trish Cooper at 204‑943‑7668 or tcooper@winnipegarts.ca
Trish CooperCommunications CoordinatorWinnipeg Arts CouncilSuite 103-110 Princess StreetWinnipeg, MB R3B 1K7
