World Poetry Day 2025
Speech for World Poetry Day 2025: By the President UNESCO – Youth Orientation for Development; Amb. Emmanuel Ejiogu
Distinguished guest of today’s occasion, Esteemed poetry enthusiasts, young minds and Members of the Press.
Today, we gather to celebrate the beauty, power, and magic of poetry. World Poetry Day is a global celebration of the art form that has captured the hearts and imaginations of people across cultures, languages, and generations.
As we commemorate this special day with a media conference to flag off our annual Poetry Competition in Rivers State, we also honor the poets, past and present, who have used their words to inspire, to heal, to challenge, and to uplift. We celebrate the diversity of poetry, its many forms, styles, and voices.
Poetry has the power to connect us, to bridge gaps, and to foster empathy. It has the power to give voice to the voiceless, to speak truth to power, and to challenge social injustices.
As we celebrate World Poetry Day, we also acknowledge the importance of poetry in our lives. Poetry helps us to make sense of the world around us, to process our emotions, and to find meaning in our experiences.
To the young poets among us, I urge you to continue exploring the world of poetry. Read widely, write often, and share your words with others. Your voices matter, and your poetry has the power to inspire and to transform.
As we celebrate World Poetry Day with the theme; “Poetry as a Bridge for Peace and Inclusion ”
we highlights the transformative role of poetry in promoting peace, creativity, and inclusion. Poetry connects people across borders, fostering mutual understanding and respect. let us also remember the role that poetry can play in promoting social change, justice, and equality. Let us use our words to speak out against injustice to promote understanding, and to foster peace.
In closing, why do we organize this annual competition;
Reasons for this Annual Event;
1. Encourages Creative Expression: The Poetry competition provide students with an opportunity to express themselves creatively, exploring their thoughts, feelings, and experiences.
2. Develops Writing Skills: Participating in this poetry competition helps students develop their writing skills, including language, structure, and style.
3. Boosts Confidence: It can help students build confidence in their abilities, as they share their work with others and receive feedback.
4. Fosters Critical Thinking: Writing poetry requires critical thinking, analysis, and interpretation, all of which are essential skills for students to develop.
5. Promotes Literacy: The competition can help promote literacy among students, as they engage with a variety of texts, explore different genres, and develop their reading and writing skills.
6. Encourages Self-Reflection: Writing poetry can be a reflective process, helping students to explore their own thoughts, feelings, and experiences.
7. Develops Public Speaking Skills: Many poetry competitions involve students reciting their poems in front of an audience, helping them to develop their public speaking skills.
8. Builds Community: Poetry competitions can help build a sense of community among students, as they share their work, provide feedback, and support one another.
9. Provides Opportunities for Feedback: It provide students with opportunities to receive feedback on their work, helping them to identify areas for improvement.
10. Celebrates Student Voice: It celebrates the unique voices and perspectives of students, providing a platform for them to express themselves and be heard.
11. Enhances Emotional Intelligence: Writing poetry can help students develop their emotional intelligence, as they explore and express their emotions in a healthy and constructive way.
12. Supports Cross-Curricular Learning: It supports cross-curricular learning, integrating subjects such as English, history, and social studies.
13. Prepares Students for Future Opportunities: Participating in poetry competitions can help prepare students for future opportunities, such as writing scholarships, literary awards, and publications.
14. Fosters Appreciation for Poetry: Poetry competitions can help foster an appreciation for poetry among students, introducing them to new forms, styles, and poets.
15. Develops Resilience: Participating in poetry competitions can help students develop resilience, as they face challenges, receive feedback, and learn from their experiences.
Let us therefore use our words to brighten someone’s day, to inspire, to uplift, and to promote a more just and equitable world.
Happy World Poetry Day!
Thank you.