WORLD POETRY DAY(S) 2009
Don’t Listen to Them – RECITE YOUR VERSES

The Belgrade Cultural Centre organises a series of poetry programmes every March. However, World Poetry Day(s) has its special place. It has been being celebrated nearly since the day the UNESCO proclaimed 21st March World Poetry Day. With this even, we wish to remind our widest public how important and powerful contemporary poetry is, because it is one of the most impressive and potent artistic expressions although there is little interest in this form of literature in Serbia.

Having been inspired by the idea of many “old” poets and their “younger” counterparts that a poem or a verse recited in public can be articulated within the public discourse in order to change that discourse even in a symbolic way, the Belgrade Cultural Centre focuses, in its programme dedicated to the celebration of World Poetry Day, on reading or reciting poetry by poets themselves. Therefore, various renowned or less known poets of all generations and different poetic sensibilities, individuals and groups, from Serbia and foreign countries take part in this celebration.

Recite Poetry, Read Poetry and Dance Poetry are three programme segments of this year’s event. These headings given in form of an invitation emphasize an active approach towards creating, understanding and presenting poetry today.

Bearing this in mind, this year’s event slogan is Don’t listen to them – RECITE YOUR VERSES. Therefore, some programme segments are dedicated to the poets’ explicit political and social ideas.

Although World Poetry Day is all about contemporary poetry, it focuses also on our poetic heritage, pointing out that there is continuity in the domain of poetry and (dis)continuity in some cultural and social projects and ideas.

The Belgrade Cultural Centre would like to express its special thanks to Mrs Syliah Pattel, Mr Valerio Magrelli, a theatre company from Bucharest and all the participants from Serbia in this year’s event. This 9th edition of World Poetry Day in Belgrade would not be possible without them

Programme of the Manifestation:

Recite Poetry!
Valerio Magrelli (Rome) – Italian contemporary poet
19th March at 19.00 - poetry evening of the most translated Italian contemporary poet
Participants: Valerio Magreli, Dejan Ilić and Gojko Božović
20th March at 12.00 - Lecture of Valerio Magrelli - Translating - between the experience and reflextion

Poetrying 06 - an extra training of active poetry
21st March at 21.00

Dance Poetry!
Siliah Patel (Nairobi) – MIGRITUDE
A performance of a poetess-actress-coreographer who combines African culture with Hindu tradition
20th March at 19.00
Romanian Theatre in Vojvodina Province (Vrsac), ZAMAK SLEPIH (The Castle of the Blind) – a bilingual play in Romanian and Serbian presents one of the most important Romanian surrealists Gelua Naum
21st March at 19.00
Teatar poezije (Theatre of Poetry) 1964 - 1990
Video Exhibition
19 - 22nd March - Bookstore Stubovi kulture

Read Poetry!
19th March
12.00 – Workshop on interpretation of poetry "under the magnifier" : a poem by Vojislav Karanović
moderators: Dragan Bošković and Tatjana Rosić
guest: Vojislav Karanović
participants: poetry lovers
17.00 –Workshop on interpretation of poetry "under the magnifier" : a poem by Ana Ristović
moderators: Dragan Bošković and Alen Bešić
guest: Ana Ristović
participants: poetry lovers
21st March
12.00 – Workshop on interpretation of poetry "under the magnifier" : a poem by Saša Jelenković
moderators: Dragan Bošković and Đorđe Despić
guest: Saša Jelenković
participants: poetry lovers
14.00 – Workshop on interpretation of poetry "under the magnifier" : a poen by Dragan Jovanović Danilova
moderators: Dragan Bošković and Aleksandar Jerkov
guest: Dragan Jovanovića Danilov
moderators: poetry lovers
19 - 22nd March
poetry of the participants of the World Poetry Day 2009  - the fasade of the BCC