World Poetry Day - March 21, 2023

World Poetry Day marks the celebration of linguistic diversity through poetry. It is on March 21 every year to honor the immense contribution of poets in bringing out a beautiful amalgamation of culture, history, and tradition. World Poetry Day was declared in 1999 by UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization).

Originally, this day was celebrated on October 15, on the birth anniversary of the epic poet, Virgil. However, UNESCO adopted this day on March 21 and since then, it has been celebrated in March. We have shared further information about World Poetry Day, its theme and its history here.

World Poetry Day 2023

People celebrate World Poetry Day in a number of ways. This day is a celebration of poetry in its various forms. It is a day to honor the great poets of history and to keep the art alive. Poetry brings people together and is one of the most celebrated art forms in the world. World Poetry Day is a great occasion to delve deeper into the world of poetry.

Organized by UNESCO every year, World Poetry Day is a big affair in several parts of the world. Here is an overview of the day:

World Poetry Day 2023 Theme

Every year, UNESCO organizes annual celebrations for World Poetry Day. It sets up a theme sometimes for the celebrations. Petry can be a powerful form of art that can lead to influencing people and starting dialogues on a variety of topics and issues.

World Poetry Day 2023 theme has not yet been announced by UNESCO. However, it will revolve around the traditions of poetry around the world and the contribution of the poetic art form to world cultures.

Poetry Day - History

The history of World Poetry Day can be traced back to 1999 when that day was officially established. Here are more details about the history of this day:

• Poetry Day was announced and adopted by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) in the year 1999, in Paris, during the 30th General Conference.
• Also known as WPD, it is observed by UN members annually to promote poetry and its various forms.
• The primary aim of adopting World Poetry Day was to support linguistic diversity through poetry, thereby promoting and spreading teachings from diverse languages and cultures of the world.
• It was adopted to safeguard endangered languages and increase awareness amongst more and more people regarding the importance of the treasured forms of cultural and linguistic poetic expressions.
• Poetry Day is also celebrated on October 15 by certain countries to commemorate the birth anniversary of the Roman poet Virgil, who had written the famous epic Aeneid.

World Poetry Day - Significance

Poetry Day is a significant event because poetry has a special place in many people’s hearts. Growing up, we have all attempted to write poetry or read great poets. Here are some other reasons why this day is considered significant:

• World Poetry Day gives people a chance to share their knowledge of poetry with others.
• It gives an occasion for all poetry enthusiasts to come together.
• On this day, scholars and academics remember great poets in history and share their works.

How to Celebrate World Poetry Day?

On Poetry Day, people come together and participate in events. Here are some other ideas on how to celebrate this day:

• World Poetry Day is celebrated worldwide with poetry festivals both online and offline mode.
• People get together and talk about their favorite poets and their celebrated creations.
• UNESCO offers special media kits and other resources on this day to encourage and assist people in knowing more about poetry.
• On Poetry Day, small gatherings are held by many poets who come together on this day to read poetry and teach people about the art of writing poems, thereby spreading awareness amongst the general public.
• Educational institutes hold poetry competitions and encourage their students to participate in Poetry Day.

FAQs on World Poetry Day

Q1. When do we celebrate World Poetry Day?

World Poetry Day is celebrated on March 21 every year by poetry enthusiasts around the world. Although the history of this day goes long back, Poetry Day was adopted by UNESCO in 1999. Since then, UNESCO organizes Poetry Day celebrations every year on March 21.

Q2. What is the theme of World Poetry Day 2023?

World Poetry Day theme 2023 is “Always be a poet, even in prose.” Every year, UNESCO sets a new theme for Poetry Day. This day is a significant occasion for all poetry enthusiasts to get together and celebrate the age-old art form. Poetry Day is also about paying tribute to your favourite poets.

Q3. How to celebrate World Poetry Day?

There are many ways in which you can celebrate World Poetry Day. We have listed some of the ways to celebrate this day here:

• Listening to or reading poetry written by great poets.
• Attempt to write a poem yourself.
• Attend poetry events to learn more about great poets and the history of Poetry Day.

Q4. What is the significance of World Poetry Day?

World Poetry Day honours poets and encourages the revival of ancient traditions of reciting poetry. Thereby, this day promotes the reading, writing, and teaching of poetry to the present generation. World Poetry Day further fosters the convergence of poetry with other art forms such as theatre, drama, music, dance, painting, and so on.

Q5. When was the first World Poetry Day held?

The first World Poetry Day was held on March 21, 2000. UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) adopted Poetry Day in 1999 and the inaugural event was held the subsequent year. Since 2000, World Poetry Day has been celebrated on March 21 every year.