“People subjected to great suffering recognize in poetry another reality–the hope for new life in a country in which it is possible to overcome war through dialogue and activities that promote culture.” With these words, Fernando Rendón opened the 23rd edition of the International Poetry Festival in Medellin, Colombia on 6 July 2013.
Sixty poets–relevant bards from all the world’s continents–were protagonists in the 8-day event, which was held to promote peace in this war-torn nation. One of the featured speakers was 87-year-old Thiago Bello, a Brazilian poet well known for his defense of Amazonia.
Bello concluded the reading of his poems with one dedicated to the “campesinos” of northeastern Brazil, who have been protesting for weeks for a better life, saying he hoped the Festival would help to create a more peaceful and unified world.