Seventh Poetry Festival of Granada
ViaNica.com | Feb 10, 2011
The greatest celebration that Nicaragua dedicates to poetry and culture began yesterday. February 13th, when a group of poets from 58 countries gathered in the colonial city of Granada to be part of the seventh edition of the International Poetry Festival of Granada. This time, the activity is dedicated to the Nicaraguan poet Claribel Alegría (Esteli, 1924), who has published 20 books and obtained national and international awards.
According to the what the president of the festival, Francisco Asís de Hernández, said during a press conference given in November 2010, the motto of the activity is "The poetry is the kingdom of imagination and the happiest and most painful testimony of the human being on Earth." Additionally, Hernandez explained that the festival has had, during its six editions, the participation of 576 poets from 82 countries, 342 national poets and 120, 000 spectators.
The varied program of activities includes concerts by national singers like Katia Cardenal, Norma Elena Gadea and Carlos Mejia Godoy, in addition to performances by the bands Milly Majuc and La Cuneta Son Machín. There will also be a water fair, a books fair and a handicrafts fair, as well as poetry readings in different places of the city and municipalities of Granada, Masaya and Rivas, and much more.
The most relevant events will be the official homage to the poet Claribel Alegria, with the unveiling of her sculpture, which was made by the Austrian artists Johannes Kranz. A day later, the Poetic Carnival will tour the main streets of the city with Nicaraguan folkloric manifestations. It will also feature poetry readings in different corners of Granada.
The International Poetry Festival of Granada was created six years ago, as an initiative of the civil society. It aims to promote international cultural exchange and request the declaration of Granada as World Heritage. Nowadays, the festival has the financial support of the European Union and the Embassy of Spain. For detailed information about the activity, go to our Events Calendar.