4 October 2006
COLOMBIAN POETRY FESTIVAL WINS "ALTERNATIVE NOBEL"
The International Poetry Festival of Medellín in Colombia has been named co-winner of the 2006 Right Livelihood Award for "showing how creativity, beauty, free expression and community can flourish amongst and overcome deeply entrenched fear and violence."
The annual award, known as the "alternative Nobel prize", honours exemplary individuals and organisations that work on solutions to environmental, human rights, health and social justice issues.
Founded in 1991, the International Poetry Festival of Medellín began as a protest against the violence that had gripped the city and the rest of the country. Featuring poetry readings in public spaces by local and international writers, the festival has attracted a growing audience over the years who have overcome their fear of violence to attend the readings. Now, as many as 80 poets from 55 countries participate in the festival each year and read to audiences numbering up to 200,000.
Promoteo, the Festival's organizer, has also engaged in peace promotion initiatives in Colombia, including a 2003 conference on poetry for peace and a campaign that garnered the support of more than 500 authors from 82 countries.
Visit these links:
- International Poetry Festival of Medellín: http://www.festivaldepoesiademedellin.org- Right Livelihood Award: http://www.rightlivelihood.org