We celebrate poetry as an art form that speaks to the individual and collective experience—both the particulars of a person’s life, language, background, culture, and worldview, as well as a shared humanity.
March 21 is World Poetry Day, an annual celebration of the history and tradition of poetic expression throughout the world. Originally adopted during UNESCO’s 30th session, held in Paris in 1999, World Poetry Day aims to support linguistic diversity, promote a dialogue between poetry and the other arts, and assert the importance and relevance of poetry in our modern world.
“Poetry is a window onto the breath-taking diversity of humanity,” said UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova. It’s fitting, then, that this year’s World Poetry Day celebration coincides with the Poetry Coalition’s inaugural effort this month, Because We Come from Everything: Poetry & Migration. To join the effort, share your favorite lines from poems about migration featured in Poem-a-Day this week using #WeComeFromEverything.