International Poetry Nights in Hong Kong 2013 (IPNHK 2013), a gala in celebration of poetry and poets, was held from 20 to 24 November 2013 in Hong Kong. A total of eighteen renowned poets from all around the globe participated in the event – the biggest international gathering of poets in the history of Hong Kong. The theme was “Islands or Continents”, through which we highlighted Hong Kong’s unique geopolitical status as well as its potential for evolution into a multilingual platform for international poetry. This year, we extended our series of activities into Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Shantou.
In order to further integrate poetry into the general community, IPNHK 2013 has established a partnership with the British Council, Alliance Française Hong Kong, and Hong Kong Tramways Limited, for a new and fascinating project – “Poetry on the Tram”. From mid-November, thirty tramcars, decorated with poetry in both Chinese and English, operated on Hong Kong Island for a period of two months. Through this meaningful project, passengers experienced the poetic breath brimming over the city.
Activities of International Poetry Nights in Hong Kong 2013 include:
20 November – International Press Conference
21 November – Panel Discussions, Opening Ceremony and Poetry Recitation
22 November – Panel Discussions, Poetry Recitation
23 November – Poetry Recitation
24 November – Closing Ceremony and Poetry Recitation
25-26 November – Poets participated in events at Shantou University, Guangzhou and Shenzhen
- Activities took place at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Baptist University, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and the HKICC Lee Shau Kee School of Creativity.
Activities of IPNHK 2013 were conducted multilingually. The organizers published a series of poetry booklets for the invited poets, including poetry selections in English, Chinese, and the original language. Poetry lovers of all nationalities attended the public activities.