The 2025 instalment of the Poetry Africa Festival hopes to achieve social justice through the power of words.
The 29th Poetry Africa Festival, hosted by the Centre for Creative Arts (CCA)from 6-11 October, takes on the theme: Poetry: an Architecture for Social Justice.
Organisers believe poetic voices have the power to address the myriad of challenges facing the marginalised in society. They believe poetry has the power to achieve equity, challenge injustices, and bridge divides.
The CCA’s Director, Ismail Mohamed, said: “Poets and participants will be afforded the opportunity to explore how poetic expression can serve as a structural framework to build and sustain movements for equity, inclusion, and transformation by bridging societal divides, giving voice to the marginalised, and challenging injustices.”
“Growing inequality and conflict across the world call for urgent and innovative interventions. Where weapons have failed to find solutions, words always remain an option,” added Mohamed.
Poetry enthusiasts can expect an insightful programme aimed at delighting creative wordsmiths.
International poets will add their voices to the dialogues, with festivities aplenty in celebration of New Coin’s 61st anniversary, rights and authorship sessions, and the announcement of the National Slam Poetry champion comprising the programme.
This year’s festivities will be hybrid. All online programmes will be free, while the on-site events incur an entry fee.
Poetry Africa’s digital stage enables a global line-up of poets
The keynote speaker is respected poet Professor Ari Sitas, who will officially open the festival.
Poetry Africa’s digital stage will showcase global conversations between South Africa, Canada, the UK, Sudan, Somalia, Palestine, and Ukraine.
Audiences would hear the creative voices of 70 poets from South Africa and global destinations Mexico, Nigeria, Kenya, Sudan, Palestine, Somalia, Reunion, the UK, the US, Jamaica, India, Cote d’Ivoire, Ukraine, and Belgium.
Festival Curator, Siphindile Hlongwa said, “At a time when international borders are contested and barriers omnipresent, poetry builds bridges, and we are proud of the international bridges and relationships that Poetry Africa builds not only across our continent but across the world.”
