World Poetry Day 2018

Through the efforts of the Poet Laureate of Jamaica programme, Sir Patrick Linton Allen officially declared a national poetry day celebration under the broader umbrella of World Poetry Day coordinated by UNESCO.

The day’s activities began with an International Poetry Reading segment where members from the diplomatic corps and international community read celebrated works of world poetry.

The UNESCO World Poetry Day was conceived as a way to recognise the unique ability of poetry to capture the creative spirit of the human mind; promote the reading, writing, and teaching of poetry; and to give fresh recognition and impetus to national, regional, and international poetry movements.

Poet Laureate of Jamaica, Lorna Goodison awarded the double winner of the Poet Laureate of Jamaica and Helen Zell: Young Writers Prize for Poetry, a major poetry prize of US $1,000. (Jovanté Anderson and Lauren Delapenha).

The event was in partnership with Book Industry Association of Jamaica; Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Ministry of Education; Youth and Information; Jamaica Library Service; Jamaica National Commissions for UNESCO and Osmosis Caribbean.

(L-R) Beverley Lashley, National Librarian/CEO and Poet Laureate, Lorna Goodison receive World Poetry Day, Jamaica, Proclamation from Ambassador the Hon. Burchell Whiteman.