Why I Love Reading: World Poetry Day 2023

I am young,

I love reading,

Anywhere I go,

I carry my book along,

I saw a book along the way

I saw a book and picked it up.

And made some friends from the book.

CC Chidera Sunday

Basic 5 Pupil of Ademeg Nursery and Primary School, Makoko, Yaba, Lagos State

World Poetry Day is an annual event celebrated on March 21st, with the aim of promoting and encouraging reading, writing, and publishing of poetry, celebrating its cultural significance and famous Poets. This day was established by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in 1999 to recognize the importance of poetry in our world.

Poetry is an art form that has been around for thousands of years and has played a significant role in shaping cultures and societies. Dating back to the ancient epic poems of the Greeks and Romans; to the works of modern-day Poets, poetry has given voice to human experiences, emotions, and ideas. It is a means of expressing oneself creatively and enables people to connect with one another on a deeper level.

World Poetry Day is an opportunity to celebrate the diversity of poetry from around the world. It is a chance to showcase the works of Poets from different cultures and backgrounds and to appreciate the unique perspectives that they bring to the art form. Poetry has the power to transcend language and cultural barriers, and the ability to unite people from all walks of life.

Since 2015, KIR Foundation has been promoting the reading and writing of poetry among public primary school children to spark their creativity and improve their literacy skills through a poetry competition. It is a chance for the budding Poets in our Reading Corners to discover and embrace their creative spirit, share their poems, and connect with audiences who are passionate about poetry. It is also an opportunity for people who may not be familiar with poetry to discover the beauty and power of this art form from the promising children that we serve.

In 2021, we had a Special Poetry Competition after the schools resumed due to the closure of schools for 7 months as a result of Covid-19.?The winner of our 10th Anniversary Poetry Competition was 10-year-old Deborah Tola, a Primary six pupil of First Baptist School in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State. The school was the first beneficiary of our 10th Anniversary Book Drive Campaign Reading Corner. Deborah was the student Coordinator of the Reading Corner. Also, she was the 1st Runner-up in our first Poetry Competition. However, unfortunately, our little Star and friend Deborah died on the 7th of August 2021, a month before her 11th birthday. KIR Foundation decided to keep Deborah’s memory alive by naming our Poetry Competition after her. Therefore, this is not just a Poetry Competition, it is a legacy statement in memory of our little Star and friend; Deborah Tola.

In 2022, we hosted the 8th Annual Poetry Competition in 10 primary schools in 4 States (Rivers State, Kwara State, Cross Rivers State, and Kaduna State) in Nigeria to commemorate World Poetry Day 2022. The theme of the year was ‘How Reading Changed My Life.’

KIR Foundation is commemorating World Poetry Day 2023 with another poetry competition titled; ‘Why I Love Reading’, among the pupils in eleven schools in four States in Nigeria where we have set up Reading Corners in 4 states. The children will submit their own original poems, and the top three winners will get a chance to present their poems in a Radio or Television Studio to a live audience on World Poetry Day. Also, the winners will be gifted with educational materials such as storybooks and dictionaries to encourage them to continue their love for reading and writing.

World Poetry Day is a celebration of the power of poetry to inspire, move and connect us. It is an opportunity for everyone to appreciate the diversity of poetry from around the world, and to celebrate the important role that poetry plays in our cultures and societies Kindly support us to inspire the creativity of pupils in underserved community/public primary schools in Nigeria by promoting the writing and reading of poetry. Creativity is one of the major skills in the 21st century and writing poetry not only improves the creativity of children, but it also helps them to create their own unique voice with which they can use to navigate their world.