A contest has been launched for people who have a way with words and a passion for the environment.

Brock University’s Environmental Sustainability Research Centre and the UNESCO Chair in Community Sustainability are putting a call out for original, unpublished poems with the theme of sustainable tourism for development.

The contest, held in celebration of UNESCO World Poetry Day, includes categories for elementary, high school and post-secondary school students, as well as the general public.

All Niagara residents are eligible to enter.

Deadline to submit an entry is Feb. 10 at 5 p.m.

Prizes, such as books and gift cards, will be awarded in each of the four categories.

Winners will be announced at the UNESCO World Poetry Day Celebration on March 21 at Mahtay Cafe in downtown St. Catharines.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, a specialized agency of the UN, has been celebrating World Poetry Day annually since 1999.

Full contest rules and submission details are available on the Environmental Sustainability Research Centre website.