On World Poetry Day (21ST March): Poets across world contribute towards promoting regional languages
Poets also revive oral traditions of poetry recitals, promote reading and writing
World Poetry Day being marked internationally by UNESCO on 21 March in year 1999, with an aim of supporting linguistic diversity through poetic expression and increasing the opportunity for endangered languages. This day needs to be projected within the society, as it signifies one of humanity’s most treasured forms of cultural and linguistic expression and identity. This is an important day as it reaffirms that individuals, everywhere in the world, share similar feelings, with an age long tradition through which mankind has been communicating over centuries, regarding the innermost values of their diverse cultures as poetry has the unique ability to capture the creative spirit of the human mind, thus proving to be a powerful catalyst for dialogue and peace. Another main objective to celebrate this day can be of support to linguistic diversity through poetic expression and offer endangered languages the opportunity to be heard within different communities. Rather this day needs to be considered as a day of recognition within Educational Institutions viz – a – viz Universities.
Being an author, I firmly believe that the Poets across the world contribute towards promoting the regional languages, revive oral traditions of poetry recitals, promote the reading, writing and teaching of poetry, foster the convergence between poetry and other arts such as theatre, dance, music and painting, furthermore the eminent poets who have a colossal role in society to engage, to influence and to inspire readers with mastery of language as intertwined with ideas and emotions must be given recognition for their respective contribution on World Poetry Day.
(The Author Harpreet Sandhu is Advocate, Punjab & Haryana High Court)