World Poetry Day 2017 celebrated globally

21 March: World Poetry Day

The World  Poetry Day was celebrated on 21 March 2017 across the globe. The objective behind the day is to support linguistic diversity through poetic expression as well as to offer endangered languages the opportunity to be heard within their societies.

The day also provides an occasion to honour poets, revive oral traditions of poetry recitals, promote the reading, writing and teaching of poetry.

International Day of Happiness celebrated on 20 March 2017

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) first adopted 21 March as World Poetry Day during its 30th General Conference in Paris in 1999.

How World Poetry Day is celebrated?

• Each country is invited to celebrate the day in its own manner with the active participation of National Commissions, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and public and private institutions concerned.

• For its part, UNESCO will endeavour to encourage and support national initiatives designed, inter alia, to -

i. Further the introduction of poetry as an important feature of arts education in school curricula

ii. Raise awareness in schools so that World Poetry Day will be celebrated in the most interdisciplinary way possible by and in schools

iii. Encourage the award of poetry prizes

iv. Mobilize municipal authorities so that they will contribute actively to the preparation and celebration of World Poetry Day

v. Promote the creation of a network of prizes in each Member State

vi. Elaborate an electronic repertoire of poetic institutions