The Theme for the Third World Poetry Canada International Peace Festival is Inspire Peace! 
Created by Ariadne Sawyer and Alejandro Mujica-Olea in 1997, the World Poetry Society is built upon respect, honor, support, peace and love for all. With a focus on recognizing multicultural and multilingual poets and writers, the society promotes its mandate through the power of arts and education. This is the Third Annual World Poetry Canada International Peace Festival. All events are free and open to the public. Please register at www.worldpoetry.ca and bring a poem on peace, a story about peace, a song, or a dance! Space is limited for all events, so please register early!
The Festival will feature:
1. International guests, local poetry groups, community partners, dancers, musicians, filmmakers and multimedia.
2. Display tables, Poetic Necklace display at Ike’s Art Gallery April 4th – 30th.
3. Extra event: World Poetry Youth Peace Poetathon World Wide.
4. The World Poetry Canada International Month, April 4th – 30th with our partner the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre.
5. World Poetry National Poetry Month Peace Display plus the display cases in the IKBLC foyer, April 4th – 30th
6. Gift poems!
Event Program:
April 4th, 7pm – 9pm, Grand Opening in the Peace River Room(Room 261) of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre
- First Nations Welcome by Godwin Barton
- World Poetry Peace E-Anthology launch
- Music by Rio Samay Band and performance by the Jasmine Dancers
- Empowerment Awards
- World Poetry Exclusive: “Silence,” a short documentary by Afghan filmmaker Sharif Saedi
April 11th, 7pm – 9pm in the Lillooet Room (Room 301) of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre
- Cross Country Tour of Penn Kemp’s Jack Layton, Art in Action; bring a story or read from the Jack Layton book
- Poetry readings by local poets
- International guests include Michael Kwaku Somuah and Kwame Yirenkyi
April 20th, 1pm – 4pm in the Lillooet Room (Room 301) of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre
- First Nations welcome by Wanda John-Kehewin and poetry launch of “In the Dog House”
- Navaho flute music by Angelo Moroni
- World Poetry Peace Poetathon official launch
- Music release by Japanese composer Yoshifumi Sakura
- World Poetry Exclusive: “The Broken Destiny of Poetry,” an Afghan documentary by Rahmat Haidari and Sajia Hussain
- Music and poetry readings