Starting on September 1 and for the next four days (1-4 September), Patras World Poetry Festival, one of the biggest literary institutions, will turn the capital of Western Greece into a cultural hub, aiming to bring poetry to the national and international fore.

Titled “From Hippocrates to poetry therapy”, this year’s Festival focuses on the healing power of art and especially poetry and thus all events are designed with the aim of creating a continuous interaction among arts, poetry and psychology. With the participation of 65 poets both from Greece and abroad (USA, Italy, Cyprus, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Albania, Northern Macedonia), the festival will host a variety of literary events that will take place at important cultural venues in the area, and will be attended by important guests including the Ambassadors of the cooperating countries, internationally acclaimed academics, writers, artists and representatives of institutions.

Among the highlights of the Festival will be a tribute to renowned Greek poet Titos Patrikios, a Round Table on the healing power of poetry, a visit to the Hellenic Diaspora Foundation with modern art exhibitions by important Greek artists from abroad, as well as a music concert titled “Like a shiver…” that will take place during the festival’s honorary evening. In its effort to converse with visual arts, the festival will also host two artistic events and a photographic one.

Under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Culture, and with the support of the Embassies of Hungary, Poland and Czech Republic, as well as of major universities and other esteemed institutions, the Festival is organized by the Poetry Foundation “Grafeion Poiiseos” and the literary website Culture Book. It is considered one of the largest literary institutions in Greece and has already drawn attention amongst major literary festivals. The festival’s vision is to promote Greek literary expression worldwide and turn the capital of Western Greece into a European center for literary studies.

A.R. 

TAGS: LITERATURE & BOOKS | READING GREECE