Events for International Poetry Day
For the fifth year running, both public and private institutions have prepared events for tomorrow’s International Poetry Day, which takes place on the same day as the spring equinox. The National Book Center, in collaboration with the Writers Association, has organized two different events for today and tomorrow. Today, there is a round table on poet Constantine Cavafy’s Greek and universal character at the Byzantine Museum. Yiannis Dallas, Dimitris Daskalopoulos, Diana Haas and Costas Koutsourelis will lecture on the subject and Aris Berlis will coordinate the discussion. Also at the Byzantine Museum, tomorrow will be dedicated to upcoming poets. Literary magazines Dendro, Endefktirio, Mandragoras, Na Ena Milo, Nea Estia, Odos Panos and Poeisi have invited the public to come and listen to new poets. Singer Savina Yiannatou will perform. Actress Olia Lazaridou, the event’s director, will also present it. (Events on both days start at 7.30 p.m., at the Byzantine Museum, 22 Vassilissis Sofias, tel 210.729.4926.) As part of International Poetry Day, the National Book Center, in collaboration with the Royal Norwegian Embassy, the French Institute, the Goethe Institute and the Cervantes Institute are organizing a campaign with cards and posters featuring verses by three poets from each country. Another series of events, once more centered on Constantine Cavafy «The Universal Poet» as well as on «Women in Poetry,» is sponsored by Athens Municipality, the Ministry of Culture and Athens University under the general title of «When Poets are Heard, Times Change.» During the event, extracts from Yiannis Smaragdis’s film «Cavafy» will be shown, poems will be read and music as well as poetry set to music will be performed. (Event starts at 7 p.m., at Technopolis, 100 Pireos, Gazi, tel 210.346.7322. Admission is free.) Other events Also tonight, at the Stoa tou Vivliou book arcade, composers Orfeas Peridis, Dimitris Papadimitriou, Nikos Zoudiaris, Petros Dourdoubakis, Giorgos Stavrianos, Petros Vagiopoulos, Tassos Grous, Costas Kaldaras and Manolis Galiatsos, among others, will each be reciting some of their favorite poems. (Readings start at 7.30 p.m., Stoa tou Vivliou book arcade, 5 Pesmazoglou & Stadiou, tel 210.325.3989.) The British Council, on the other hand, is celebrating International Poetry Day with a gift. Tomorrow, members of the public are invited to collect copies of a handsome edition of the poetry read at the Hill of the Nymphs on the same day last year – the event was organized by the British Council and the Athens Observatory. The edition includes pieces by Christos Goudis and Lavinia Greenlaw. (From 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., British Council Library, 17 Kolonaki Sq, tel 210.369.2318.)
