Poetry Slam For Peace
We understand the crucial role creative communities play in this expanding reality to which we’ve been introduced. Slam Poets communicate through performance art expressing time and place in unique and powerful ways. Poetry Slams empower through the mastery of literacy and language – “If you don’t learn to write your own life story, someone else will write it for you”.
Poetry Slams are recognized among people of diverse backgrounds as a democratizing force, encompassing all manner of individual and poetic voices. Using allusions to contemporary popular culture, artists provide a medium for crafting communication, venting emotion, and creating art. Poetry Slams are performed in constructive atmospheres of equality, sensitivity and progress, encouraging discussion, creativity, empowerment and alliance.
The Poetry Slam for Peace is not a competition; rather it encompasses individual poetic voices focusing on creativity, diversity, and authenticity, fostering an atmosphere of equality and progress. The artists communicate to encourage dialogue and collaboration, signifying a strong emotional resonance with the values of peace, unity, and social awareness – with a strong commitment to social empowerment through dynamic and diverse cultural exchanges.
Now in its 8th year, the 2024 Poetry Slam for Peace is a virtual, pre-recorded event that will broadcast globally on September 21st, the United Nations International Day of Peace, along with local, live events at various locations around the world.
Design, Vanessa Bowen, Bowen Creative — Design with an Indigenous Perspective
This textile pattern features the yéʼiibeichei, human dancers personifying the Holy People, known as Ye’ii. The yéʼiibeichei are utilized during ceremonies to restore Hózhó into a person’s life.
Hózhó, also referred to as “walking in beauty”, personifies beauty and harmony, and is central to Diné life and thought. Hózhó extends beyond ourselves, recognizing the universal connection to each other, the natural world, and into the spiritual aspects of experience which moves beyond what our senses can perceive. Hózhó is deeply personal and is a constant pursuit of balance and goodness in our life.
The Navajo belief of Hózhó, also referred to as “walking in beauty”, personifies beauty and harmony, and is central to Diné life and thought. Hózhó extends beyond ourselves, recognizing the universal connection to each other, the natural world, and into the spiritual aspects of experience which moves beyond what our senses can perceive. Hózhó is deeply personal and is a constant pursuit of balance and goodness in our life.
The Poetry Slam for Peace is not a competition. It is an intergenerational and intercultural platform reaching across traditional demographics to encourage dialogue and collaboration, resonating with the values of peace, unity, and social empowerment through dynamic and diverse cultural exchanges.
Beginning eight years ago with a performance at the legendary Nuyorican Poets Café, a cultural icon on New York’s Lower East Side, the Poetry Slam for Peace has built a presence as part of a global community.
We have a library of over 50 original Poetry Slam for Peace performances with poets from 24 countries and native American communities that can be re-purposed on social media platforms, have created a series of unique artist-designed posters, greatly enhanced our production capabilities, and have access to distribution platforms with global reach.
In September 2024 Poetry Slam for Peace videos were shown during the 24-hour global broadcast of Unite 4 Peace on the International Day of Peace. In December 2024 the first Poetry Slam for Peace will take place outside of the United States, as part of the International Poetry Festival in Greece. On January 18, 2025, we will return to our roots, with a live event at the Continental Club in Oakland, CA., that will be recorded for broadcast two weeks later. Next year there will be many more Poetry Slams for Peace around the world.
The Poetry Slam for Peace is not a competition. It is an intergenerational and intercultural environment reaching across traditional demographics to encourage dialogue and collaboration, resonating with the values of peace, unity, and social empowerment through authentic, dynamic and diverse cultural exchanges, addressing the issues of the day.
Beginning eight years ago with a performance at the legendary Nuyorican Poets Café, a cultural icon on New York’s Lower East Side, the Poetry Slam for Peace has demonstrated proof of concept as a distinctive, impactful, and inspiring program, readily scalable, with individual creative content that can be re-purposed on social media platforms for years after the original broadcast. We have a library of over 60 original Poetry Slam for Peace performances with poets from 24 countries and native American communities, have created a series of unique artist-designed posters, greatly enhanced our production capabilities, and have access to distribution platforms with global reach.
On January 18, 2025, the first major live Poetry Slam for Peace event was held in Oakland CA, celebrating the local creative community and the city of Oakland. The Oakland event serves as a model for Poetry Slams for Peace around the world, locally produced, with access to a growing global community.
2025 Poetry Slam for Peace Oakland
Actions for Peace
Recovering Better for an Equitable and Sustainable World
Have you Heard About Interfaith Harmony Week?
World Interfaith Harmony Week is a UN resolution for a worldwide week of interfaith harmony proposed in 2010 by King Abdullah II and Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad of Jordan. Recognizing the imperative need for dialogue among different faiths and religions to enhance mutual understanding, harmony and cooperation among people, the General Assembly encourages all States to spread the message of interfaith harmony and goodwill according to their own religious traditions.
2018 Poetry Slam for Peace
The Assemblage - NYC
The First Poetry Slam for Peace
2017 - Nuyorican Poets Cafe
