The winning entries for this year\u2019s Sustainability Poetry Contest have been chosen. Hosted annually by Brock University\u2019s United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Chair, the contest invites Niagara poets to submit original written works, in English or French, that celebrate sustainability. This theme of this year\u2019s contest was the International Year of Plant Health, which drew the most entries the contest has received since it first began in 2015.<\/p>\n
The winners of the contest are typically announced during an annual World Poetry Day Celebration in St. Catharines, but given the evolving COVID-19 pandemic, this year\u2019s event has been postponed. While the event will be rescheduled for a future date, Brock UNESCO Chair Liette Vasseur decided to congratulate the winners in advance.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were so pleased to see so many members of the Niagara community participate in this year\u2019s contest and thoroughly enjoyed reading all of the wonderful entries,\u201d said Vasseur. \u201cWhile we are disappointed that we couldn\u2019t celebrate World Poetry Day in person this March, we look forward to coming together to share poetry and honour the winners as soon as it is safe to do so.\u201d<\/p>\n
This year’s winning entries include:<\/p>\n
All of the winners have been contacted and will be notified when a new event date has been selected.<\/p>\n
Vasseur also extended a special thanks to her Brock colleagues who served as this year\u2019s judging panel: Catherine Parayre, Associate Professor and Director of the Centre for Studies in Arts and Culture; Gregory Betts, Professor with the Department of English; Adam Dickinson, Associate Professor of English and award-winning poet; and Neta Gordon, Associate Dean, Undergraduate Student Affairs and Curriculum in the Faculty of Humanities.<\/p>\n