A snap shot before the event

Every year, on the 21^st of March, UNESCO marks a day for poetry, for the whole world. This is called UNESCO WORLD POETRY DAY. On days like this in Ghana, it was not the normal practice for the state to organize a ceremony, rather, a few poetry and writing associations gathered to commemorate the day alone, not with UNESCO Ghana. Fortunately for the Walk The Talk Group, their 2014 celebration which was their first had the presence of the director of UNESCO Ghana, Mr. Tirso Dos Santos. He delivered a speech and also read the special UNESCO poem of the day.

For the 2014 celebration, the Walk The Talk Group designed a two day celebration. One took place in the prestigious venue at the Modern Languages Department (Maison Française, Legon) where as the other at the Casa Hispanica V. A. O. Lamptey. The first day showed the colourful cultural and social strength of the Ghanaian and how it was seen by our youth on whose shoulders the future rested.

Other important guests were Dr. Alexina Arthur, head of the anniversary planning committee of the Modern Languages and French Departments. The team which organized the celebration had by then managed to make the celebration a part of the anniversary activities of the Department of Modern Languages and French. Her presence there was to crown it all and to give her support. Mr Novieto, lecturer at the Modern Languages Department accompanied by his friend, Mr Vincent, was also present not forgetting the leader of the delegation from PRESEC Legon, Mr Christian.

The performing artists were student poets from the Modern Languages Department, the Writers and Debaters club of Presbyterian Boys’ Senior High School (PRESEC Legon) young poets excelling in the country and Poets from the Walk the Talk Group. There were poetry readings and performances as well as a Salsa dance group. The expertise of the group to blend poetry and dance was encouraging. A poem titled “Kokrokoo” revealed a long old belief in the unseen, the departed and our ancestors. How their rest at home can be disturbed by the “seen” and how they were managed by the living. It raised similar concern which the UNESCO poem of the day sought to achieve. For that, we were advised to take the necessary steps in life now without delay, as that was the only way to brighten our future.

The 22^nd March event took the form of a night’s showdown of poetry which was sang, read, danced and dramatized. It brought together young poets like Oswald Okaitei, Charlotte Addison, Robert Boateng-Duah ( PRESEC Legon) and dancers like Sheila Addison from the Salsa Mingles of the Spanish section of University of Ghana, Legon.

Poems were even recited in French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Swahili and Chinese when the group from the Department of Modern Languages and French got on stage with their anniversary poem written by Leander David which was later on translated into various languages.

During the time when Mr Dos Santos took the stage for his maiden speech, he delivered a message from Ms. Irina Bokova, Director- General of UNESCO. The message touched on how people had used poetry in the past to transmit knowledge, history, myths, and express feelings, even to entertain. It also highlighted the unique nature of poetry which allowed us to promote dialogue among cultures leading to peace. Later on in the show, he was made to read the UNESCO poem of the day to tell all and sundry that poetry is not limited by age, status, sector, field and even the various art forms like dance, music and drama. It was indeed a fine unifying platform.

 Just above is a cross section of participants at the first ever 2014 UNESCO world poetry celebration, organized by the Walk The Talk Group in University of Ghana, Legon.

 At the end, the signal that was sent into the length and breadth of the world, especially among poetry lovers, was that the youth took charge of the moment, through a dedicated and diligent hand of the Poetry group in the University of Ghana Walk the Talk Group even with their meagre capital.

 Some excitement which cannot be ignored at the end of 2014 UNESCO World Poetry day celebrations at the University of Ghana, Legon 

The appreciation and excitement was obvious from the pose above. No wonder the UNESCO director, Mr. Dos Santos, promised to be part of the planning and organizing the next year’s UNESCO World Poetry Day in Ghana.

For more information,

contact The Walk The Talk Group

at walkthetalkgroup()yahoo.co.uk,

and their site on  www.walkthetalk.jimdo.com