Celebrating World Poetry Day dedicated to contemporary Cypriot creatives

Every March 21, word lovers around the globe celebrate World Poetry Day, organising special events and readings. Cyprus is always keen to join the celebrations and thankfully, a growing local poetry scene means that events are held around the island as well.

This year, Centre for Social Innovation (CSI) is preparing an out-of-the-box evening in Nicosia dedicated to contemporary local creatives, poets and musicians. Under the title ‘Nai re, poiisi’ (‘Yes man, poetry’), the event will take place at Yfantourgeio the Workplace. Apart from a series of solo live gigs from musicians who will add music to their favourite poems, a debate will also take place on the place of poetry in contemporary Cypriot reality.

“If it is true what Theodor Adorno said that ‘poetry cannot be written after Auschwitz’, then why do people continue to dream, rejoice or mourn through poetry? And Cyprus? What makes young people of the island turn to poetry with publications and self-publishing that are now circulating all over the world? Why don’t Cypriots read poetry? And why should it be considered necessary for them to read? How much do great songwriters influence the familiarity of poetry through their setting?” ask organisers. “And when there’s war, occupation, precision, pandemic, are we going to focus on poetry now? Yes, man poetry!”

As such, the Centre for Social Innovation invites friends of poetry, but also all those who find it boring and do not understand it, to an evening where all of the above questions will be answered. Leading the discussion will be journalist and songwriter Christos Michalaras, poets Avgi Lilly and Maria Tziaouri-Hilmer and Melissa Zanga of Blend Creativity School.

Adding the musical element to the evening will be performers Freideriki Tombazou, Marinos Georgiades, Giorgos Kalogerou, Anna Giagkozi, Marily Milia, Izel Seyiani, Vaggelis Gettos and Constantinos Hadjipolykarpou.

Yes, Man Poetry

Poetry night with music and a debate. March 21. Yfantourgeio the Workplace, Nicosia. 8pm. Free. In Greek. Reservations via link on Facebook event. Tel: 96-130158