The International Poetry Festival in Medellín: A Guide

TLDR? This edition addresses social and environmental issues with events online, on Nutibara Hill, and throughout Medellin.

If you’re a fan of poetry and theater, you’ll want to attend the international poetry festival in Medellin! You can enjoy several cultural events and meet more than 130 authors from 85 countries.

In the 32nd edition of this annual festival, the theme will be “World peace, peace with nature”. Famous authors, poets, actors, musicians, philosophers, and experts will meet to discuss social and environmental world issues and add poetic beauty to the cause.

After two years of being held virtually due to the pandemic, the festival will take place in Nutibara Hill.

Take a look at this quick guide and learn what to expect from the festival!

What Is The International Poetry Festival in Medellin?

This annual festival began in 1991. It aims to maintain a collective awareness of society through poetry.

This year, the international poetry festival in Medellin will take place from July 9th to the 30th.

This event will have two parts: from July 9th to the 22nd, there’ll be virtual activities, and from July 23rd to the 30th, activities in the open-air Carlos Vieco theater on Cerro Nutibara.

Some of the festival’s activities are:

• Poetry reading
• Concerts
• Philharmonic Orchestra of Medellin concert
• Poetry workshops
• Discussions
• Courses

The festival will take place throughout the city: some poetry readings, lectures, and courses will be held in libraries, theaters, cultural houses, educational parks, etc.

Check the schedule beforehand and arrive a few hours earlier, so you can have a good place in the waiting line and maybe a seat close to the stage.

All the events that make up the festival are free to access to the public. However, there’s limited people’s capacity for the closed spaces.

The International Poetry Festival Schedule

For you to know more about all the cultural events of the international poetry festival, just check out the schedule and choose your favorite activities.

Event	Date	Location
Festival’s opening (Poetry reading and concert)	July 23th	The whole city
Poetry reading	July 24th	The whole city
Reading and poetry courses	July 25th	The whole city
Poetry workshop, and poetry lectures	July 26th	The whole city
Gulliver project, workshops, and conferences	July 27th	TBD
Poetry lectures	July 28th	TBD
Poetry lectures	July 29th	TBD
Festival’s closure	July 30th	TBD

What to Expect at the Festival

Besides the cultural events, concerts, and poetry, you’ll find various plays and other activities perfect for spending the day with your family or going on a date.

Let’s take a closer look at the events that make up the international poetry festival in Medellin.

Poetry Lectures

These are undoubtedly the festival’s most popular events, as they’re the main reason to gather international poets.

Some poetry readings will be accompanied by live background music, such as the Medellin Philharmonic Orchestra performing “The Adventures of Don Quijote de la Mancha”.

The festival will feature famous poets, including three winners of the Right Livelihood Awards 2021. Some of these are:

• Vandana Shiva
• Afua Cooper
• Dr. Burnley Allan Jones
• Tusiata Avia
• Siphiwe Nzima
• Qibho Intalektual
• Tamya Sisa Morán

You can also listen to Latin American and indigenous poetry from different regions of Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Uruguay, Chile, etc.

Courses

These courses usually require a few sessions, so attend all of them if you wish to know the topics in depth and learn something new.

One of the courses that caught my attention is ‘Poetry in native languages for the promotion of reading and poetic creation’, lectured by Esteban Rios Cruz of Mexico.

In some cases, you get a certificate stating that you attended the course; in others, you must fill out a form beforehand to attend.

Dialogues or Conversations

Conversations are the perfect space to meet new people and hear different opinions. 

On Monday 25th, there’ll be the dialogue of poetry around peace lectured by Diana Carol Forero y Ángela Briceño, two Colombian poets who are experts on the subject.

Workshops

In poetry workshops, you can train and learn to give logic, order, and beauty to your verses. These are workshops by experienced Latin American poets.

Conferences

The lectures are made by philosophers and professional historians of the country, for example, the Colombian testimonial poetry: documentary lyricism and textualities sensitive to the armed conflict, lectured by Angélica Hoyos Guzmán.

Concerts

Most poems will be accompanied by the Network of Music Schools and the Philharmonic Orchestra of Medellin.

They’ll be responsible for giving different environments to the poems and making the audience feel a full range of emotions and excitement.

Some Tips for the 2022 International Poetry Festival

Here are some tips for attending festival events:

• Always keep an eye on your personal belongings, leave your valuables at home and pack light to avoid pickpockets. 
• Some events can get a bit crowded, especially if it’s a weekend. Keep an eye on your kids and try to arrive 1 or 2 hours before the event.

Visit The International Poetry Festival 

Now that you know how the festival works, its schedule, and what to expect from this event full of art and music, you’re ready to attend the 2022 International Poetry Festival.

Take a day off to attend the festival with your family and don’t miss this unforgettable experience!

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