{{Short description|Observance on 21 March}} {{Infobox holiday | holiday_name = World Poetry Day | type = | image = | imagesize = | caption = | official_name = | nickname = WPD | observedby = UN Members | litcolor = | longtype = | significance = | begins = 2000 | ends = | date = 21 March | scheduling = same day each year | duration = 1 day | frequency = Annual | celebrations = UNESCO | observances = Promote poetry | relatedto = | firsttime = {{start date and age|df=yes|2000}} }}

'''World Poetry Day''' is celebrated on 21 March.

It was declared by UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) at their Paris conference November 1999,<ref name="WPDUN" /> "with the aim of supporting linguistic diversity through poetic expression and increasing the opportunity for endangered languages to be heard".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.unesco.org/en/days/poetry|title=World Poetry Day|website=www.unesco.org|language=EN|access-date=2023-03-01}}</ref> The first international celebration on March 21 took place in the year 2000.<ref name="WPDUN">{{cite news |title=World Poetry Day |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-toronto-star-world-poetry-day/193949729/ |access-date=22 March 2026 |agency=The Toronto Star |date=21 March 2000}}</ref> Its purpose is to promote the reading, writing, publishing, and teaching of poetry throughout the world and, as the original UNESCO declaration says, to "give fresh recognition and impetus to national, regional, and international poetry movements".

In the 20th century the world community celebrated World Poetry Day on the 15th of October. The date was chosen to honor Pennsylvania Poet Laureate Ralph Cheyney.<ref name="austin" /><ref name="TPD3" /><ref name="TPD" /><ref name="TPD2" /> The tradition to keep an October date for national or international poetry day celebrations still holds in many countries.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20101020060431/http://users.rcn.com/alana.interport/poetday.html 41 countries observed World Poetry Day on 15 October 1951. Ref. cited: The International Who's Who in Poetry 1978-79.] Ernest Kay, Ed. International Biographical Council, Cambridge, England.</ref> The United Kingdom generally uses the first Thursday in October,<ref>[https://www.nationalpoetryday.co.uk/ National Poetry Day, United Kingdom]. ''nationalpoetryday.co.uk''.</ref> but elsewhere a different October, or even sometimes a November date, is celebrated.

==History of UNESCO World Poetry Day== Poets in both Turkey and Greece claim to be the originators of World Poetry Day. Vassilis Vassilikos, ambassador of Greece to UNESCO, proposed March 21st be named World Poetry Day.<ref name="Karvounaki">{{cite news |last1=Karvounaki |first1=Georgia |title=World Poetry Day |url=https://www.greekradiofl.com/en/παγκόσμια-ημέρα-ποίησης-εκδήλωση-pen-greece/ |access-date=22 March 2026 |agency=Greek News and Radio |date=23 March 2023}}</ref> The date following the equinox was chosen by Greek poet Lydia Stefanou, and the first Greek celebration of Poetry Day was held on March 21, 1998 in Athens.<ref name="GreekNewsA">{{cite news |title=Reading Greece: Ilias Gris on Greek Poetry and the Generation of the 1970s |url=https://www.greeknewsagenda.gr/reading-greece-ilias-gris-on-greek-poetry-and-the-generation-of-the-1970s/ |access-date=22 March 2026 |agency=Greek News Agenda |date=21 March 2017}}</ref>

Turkish poet Tarık Günersel<ref name="Gunersel">{{cite news |title=Günersel |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sheboygan-press-gnersel-world-poe/193961543/ |access-date=22 March 2026 |agency=The Sheboygan Press |date=14 March 2013}}</ref> also proposed World Poetry Day to PEN International in 1997 in Edinburgh, Scotland.<ref name="PENWPD">{{cite web |title=World Poetry Day |url=https://www.pen-international.org/our-campaigns/world-poetry-day-take-action-for-maung-yu-py-myanmar |website=PEN International |access-date=22 March 2026}}</ref><ref name="PENTurkey">{{cite web |title=PEN Turkey A History |url=https://www.pen.org.tr/en/history/ |website=PEN Turkey |access-date=22 March 2026}}</ref> PEN International also claims to have originated World Poetry Day.

The 2021 World Poetry Day in the UNESCO headquarters in Paris was dedicated to the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of the great Macedonian poet, writer, literary translator and linguistic scholar Blaže Koneski.<ref>{{Cite web|title=World Poetry Day 2021|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0CzJURAbs0 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/i0CzJURAbs0| archive-date=2021-12-12|url-status=live|access-date=March 24, 2021|website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref> At the same time, the British poet Carol Ann Duffy was announced as the recipient of the Golden Wreath Award of the Struga Poetry Evenings for 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|title=British poet Carol Ann Duffy is the recipient of the "Golden Wreath" Award of the SPE for 2021|website=Struga Poetry Evenings|date=2021|url=http://svp.org.mk/en/britanskata-poetesa-carol-en-dafi-e|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210412193555/http://svp.org.mk/en/britanskata-poetesa-carol-en-dafi-e/#more-6208|archive-date=12 April 2021}}</ref>

==History of October 15th observance== In 1937 Tessa Sweesy Webb celebrated the first Poetry Day in Ohio on the 3rd Friday of October by proclamation of the Ohio legislature.<ref name="TPD3"/> In 1947 Ralph Cheyney's wife, Lucia Trent, standardized the date of Poetry Day to honor Cheyney on the yearly anniversary of his passing.<ref name="austin">{{cite news |title=Poetry day founder is paid honor |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-austin-american-poetry-day-founder-i/193943994/ |access-date=22 March 2026 |agency=The Austin American |date=3 October 1965}}</ref><ref name="TPD3" /> The holiday was first celebrated on October 15th, 1947 as Texas Poets Day by proclamation of Governor Beauford H. Jester.<ref name="TPD3">{{cite news |last1=Brewer |first1=Anita |title=That's Lucia Trent, Poetry Advocate |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/austin-american-statesman-lucia-trent-t/193943582/ |access-date=22 March 2026 |agency=Austin American Statesman |date=1 October 1963}}</ref><ref name="TPD2">{{cite news |title=Poets Day Named |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-houston-chronicle-poets-day-named/193946019/ |access-date=22 March 2026 |agency=Houston Chronicle |date=5 October 1947}}</ref><ref name="TPD">{{cite news |title=Poetry awards of month for Texas are awarded |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-worth-star-telegram-texas-poetry-da/193944394/ |access-date=22 March 2026 |agency=Fort Worth Star Telegram |date=19 February 1950}}</ref>

In 1950 Lucia Trent was a member of the National Poetry Day committee lead by Dr. Etta Josephean Murfey<ref name="NPDCI" /> which sought out an official recognition of the holiday by the president.<ref name="TPD3" /> It expanded first to New York, Idaho,<ref name="IPD">{{cite news |title=Idaho Poetry Day celebrates work |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-coeur-dalene-press-idaho-poetry-day/193949467/ |access-date=22 March 2026 |agency=Coeur d'Alene Press |date=15 October 2000}}</ref> and Pennsylvania in 1948 and by 1955, the National Poetry Day celebration grew to include 42 states.<ref name="WPD1" /> The organization had regional and state representatives.<ref name="Letter">{{cite web |title=Letter from National Poetry Day Committee in 1955 |url=https://www.bibliotecanacionaldigital.gob.cl/colecciones/BND/00/AE/AE0005387.pdf |website=Chilean National Library |access-date=23 March 2026}}</ref>

In 1955 through the advocacy of Philadelphia poet Mary O'Connor, the holiday became World Poetry Day, with Cyprus and the Philippines being first to observe the holiday outside of the United States.<ref name="WPD1">{{cite news |title=World Poetry Day to be observed on October 15 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-herald-journal-world-poetry-day-to-b/193947041/ |access-date=22 March 2026 |agency=Herald Journal |date=12 October 1959}}</ref><ref name="WPD2"/> By 1960 World Poetry Day was celebrated in 32 countries.<ref name="WPD2">{{cite news |last1=Atkinson |first1=Mabel Law |title=32 nations celebrate World Poetry Day |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-herald-journal-32-nations-celebrate/193948158/ |access-date=22 March 2026 |agency=Herald Journal |date=16 October 1960}}</ref> O'Connor died in 1960.

In 1966 Dr. Frances Clark Handler of Florida incorporated the World Poetry Day Committee, Inc. as a non-profit to continue to promote the official adoption of the holiday by governments around the world.<ref name="97thcongress">{{cite book |title=Congressional Record: Proceedings and debates of the 97th Congress |date=August 1982 |publisher=U.S. Printing Office |pages=20638 |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Congressional_Record/nrUFoL5-MU4C?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Frances%20Clark%20handler&pg=PA20638&printsec=frontcover}}</ref><ref name="NPDCI">{{cite news |title=National Poetry Day Committee |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-national-poetry-day-com/193981430/ |access-date=23 March 2026 |agency=The Miami Herald |date=1 September 1974}}</ref> By the time of Trent's death in 1977, Poetry Day was celebrated in all 50 states and 41 countries.<ref name="Trentobit">{{cite news |title=Lucia Trent dies Poetry founder |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/new-port-richey-press-lucia-trent-dies-p/193952632/ |access-date=22 March 2026 |agency=New Port Richey Press |date=2 March 1977}}</ref> Dr. Handler continued to advocate for presidential recognition of the holiday throughout the 1980s. In 1982 and 1983 Florida Congressman Claude Pepper advocated for Poetry Day on the House floor.<ref name="USCongress1983">{{cite news |title=Extensions of Remarks |url=https://www.congress.gov/98/crecb/1983/10/04/GPO-CRECB-1983-pt19-7-3.pdf |access-date=23 March 2026 |agency=U.S. Congress |date=1983}}</ref> She passed away in 1993.

Due to the advocacy of the Poetry Day Committee, National Poetry Month was widely celebrated across the United States in October beginning in the 1950s.<ref name="NPM1">{{cite news |last1=Doane |first1=Myrtle |title=National Poetry Day celebrated October 15 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/sun-journal-national-poetry-day-celebrat/194018185/ |access-date=23 March 2026 |agency=Sun Journal |date=13 October 1984}}</ref> Prior to 1996 October was celebrated as national poetry month by the Academy of American Poets,<ref name="AAP2">{{cite news |title=Poetry Theme |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/syracuse-herald-journal-poetry-theme-o/194230999/ |access-date=26 March 2026 |agency=Syracuse Herald Journal |date=16 October 1959}}</ref><ref name="AAP1">{{cite news |title=From chapel hill |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/news-and-record-according-to-the-academy/194231685/ |access-date=26 March 2026 |agency=News and Record |date=18 October 1959}}</ref> National League of American Pen Women,<ref name="PW2">{{cite news |title=Local pen women note poetry month |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/jg-tc-journal-gazette-and-times-courier/194231226/ |access-date=26 March 2026 |agency=Journal Gazette and Times Courier |date=19 October 1978}}</ref><ref name="PW1">{{cite news |title=Poetry month to be observed by pen women on Wednesday |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/connecticut-post-poetry-month-to-be-obse/194231162/ |access-date=26 March 2026 |agency=Connecticut Post |date=17 October 1964}}</ref> National Federation of State Poetry Societies,<ref name="NFSPS1">{{cite news |title=Kentwood residents attend poetry day observance |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-star-october-poetry-month/194234499/ |access-date=26 March 2026 |agency=The Daily Star |date=9 November 1995}}</ref> and the California Federation of Chaparral Poets.<ref name="CFCP2">{{cite news |title=Multi media poetry festival scheduled |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-peninsula-times-tribune-multi-media/194231303/ |access-date=26 March 2026 |agency=Peninsula Times Tribune |date=20 October 1973}}</ref><ref name="CFCP1">{{cite news |title=East Bay Poet's work to be shown in LA |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune-poetry-month-los-angeles/194026641/ |access-date=26 March 2026 |agency=Oakland Tribune |date=20 September 1956}}</ref> In 1959 Academy of American Poets noted that over 100 poetry societies and 200 bookstores across the nation celebrated October as poetry month.<ref name="AAP1" /><ref name="Richmond">{{cite news |title=Oct Poetry Month |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-richmond-news-leader-oct-poetry-mont/194023588/ |access-date=26 March 2026 |agency=Richmond News Leader |date=7 October 1959}}</ref> Some celebrations in the 1980s and 1990s referred to October as World Poetry Month.<ref name="WPM">{{cite news |title=Odessa Chapter of the Poetry Society of Texas |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-odessa-american-world-poetry-month/194234120/ |access-date=26 March 2026 |agency=Odessa American |date=28 October 1990}}</ref><ref name="WPM2">{{cite news |last1=Mathews |first1=Shirley |title=Fairfield gallery marks World Poetry Month |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/stamford-advocate-world-poetry-month/194233990/ |access-date=26 March 2026 |agency=Stamford Advocate |date=29 October 1982}}</ref><ref name="WPM3">{{cite news |title=New Smyrna Beach |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daytona-beach-morning-journal-world-poet/194234179/ |access-date=26 March 2026 |agency=Daytona Beach Morning Journal |date=19 October 1984}}</ref>

==See also== {{portal|Poetry}} *United Nations *National Poetry Day, held in October in the United Kingdom * National Poetry Day in the United States - celebrated on October 15 since 1947 *National Poetry Month, held in April in the United States and Canada * Honorary Poets, chosen on 1 November, Poetry Day in the Korea

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * [https://kavishala.in/ Kavishala -The School of Poets] *[https://www.unesco.org/en/days/poetry "World Poetry Day" at un.org] *[https://www.un.org/en/observances/international-days-and-weeks UN International Observances Calendar] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20170323235252/http://malangar.com/event/jaipur-based-young-poets-celebrated-world-poetry-day-at-o2-the-plant-cafe-jaipur/ "Jaipur Based Young Poets Celebrated World Poetry Day on 21 March 2017 at O2 The Plant Cafe"]

Category:March observances Category:Poetry festivals Category:United Nations days Category:UNESCO