World Poetry Day 2025

World Poetry Day 2025: Celebrating Poetic Expression and Linguistic Diversity

World Poetry Day is observed every year on March 21, celebrating the enduring power of poetry as a universal form of human expression. Declared by UNESCO in 1999, this day promotes reading, writing, publishing, and teaching poetry while honoring its ability to inspire creativity, preserve endangered languages, and foster dialogue among cultures.

Origins and Purpose of World Poetry Day

UNESCO established World Poetry Day during its 30th General Conference to emphasize poetry’s role in cultural heritage and linguistic diversity. Poetry has served as a powerful tool for storytelling, artistic expression, and preserving shared values across civilizations. Historically, October 15—Virgil’s birthday—was widely recognized as Poetry Day in honor of the Roman poet. However, March 21 now unites nations globally in celebration of poetry’s cultural and artistic contributions.

The day encourages poets, educators, and communities to revive oral traditions, organize poetry readings, and increase access to poetry publications. Poetry gives a platform to voices that might otherwise go unheard and creates opportunities for individuals to express their emotions, identities, and perspectives.

2025 Theme: Poetry as a Bridge for Peace and Inclusion

The theme for World Poetry Day 2025 highlights poetry’s transformative role in promoting peace, creativity, and inclusion. Poetry connects people across borders, fostering mutual understanding and respect. By amplifying diverse voices, including those from marginalized communities, poetry serves as a catalyst for cultural exchange and social unity.

Educational programs, community initiatives, and global events will focus on celebrating poets, publishing works in lesser-known languages, and encouraging participation in poetry as a form of artistic expression.

UNESCO’s Initiatives to Promote Poetry

UNESCO plays a vital role in advancing poetry worldwide by supporting initiatives that celebrate creativity and cultural expression. Key efforts include:

• Literacy Promotion: Strengthening reading and writing skills as fundamental human rights.
• World Book Capital: Encouraging cities to promote literary culture and reading.
• Creative Cities of Literature: Supporting cities that prioritize literature, creativity, and access to poetry.

UNESCO also recognizes the role of poetry in preserving endangered languages and increasing linguistic diversity, making it an essential tool for education and inclusion.

Connection to Sustainable Development Goals

World Poetry Day aligns with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly:

• SDG 4: Quality Education – Promoting literacy and creativity through poetry education.
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities – Amplifying voices from underrepresented communities and preserving endangered languages.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions – Using poetry to foster peace, dialogue, and mutual understanding.

Celebrating World Poetry Day 2025

World Poetry Day invites people worldwide to celebrate the richness of poetic expression. Communities can organize poetry readings, workshops, and cultural events to showcase the diversity of global poetry. Educational institutions can engage students in exploring poetry’s role in cultural preservation and creative thinking.

Poets, writers, and readers are encouraged to share their works, participate in local events, and celebrate the transformative power of words.

World Poetry Day is an opportunity to reflect on how poetry bridges divides, preserves languages, and inspires hope. On March 21, 2025, join the global celebration and honor the creativity, beauty, and resilience of poetic expression.

World Poetry Day Themes

		Description
2020	Vision	Celebrated the ability of poetry to inspire creativity, introspection, and capture the diversity of the human experience.
2021	Reconnecting People	Focused on poetry as a means to bring people together and reconnect communities during challenging times like the COVID-19 pandemic.
2022	Translating Poetry: A Celebration of Diversity	Highlighted the importance of translating poetry to preserve linguistic diversity and share global perspectives.
2023	Always Be a Poet, Even in Prose	Inspired by Charles Baudelaire, this theme emphasized incorporating creativity and beauty into all forms of writing.
2024	Standing on the Shoulders of Giants	Recognized the legacy of past poets and celebrated the contributions of modern and emerging poets to cultural expression.