UNESCO declared March 21 as World Poetry Day during UNESCO’s 30th session held in Paris in 1999, to recognize the unique ability of poetry to capture the creative spirit of the human mind. It supports linguistic diversity through poetic expression and to offer endangered languages the opportunity to be heard within their communities.

In 2015, the UNESCO Chair in Community Sustainability: from local to global, with the help of the Brock University Environmental Sustainability Research Centre, initiated a contest designed to celebrate Niagara’s creative minds region and enhance their role in community sustainability.

Every year, writers from the local community are encourage to submit unpublished poems on themes related to sustainability.

From the UNESCO Poetry Day Website:

“Poetry reaffirms our common humanity by revealing to us that individuals, everywhere in the world, share the same questions and feelings.

Poetry is the mainstay of oral tradition and, over centuries, can communicate the innermost values of diverse cultures.

In celebrating World Poetry Day, March 21, UNESCO recognizes the unique ability of poetry to capture the creative spirit of the human mind.

Theme: “International Year of Peace and Trust” or “International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation”

In the past year, we have recognized how peace can be fragile anywhere in the world.

“Recognizing the importance of developing more peaceful societies through advancing equality, tolerance, human development and promoting human rights, and in this regard calling for investment in education, including through effective policies and practices, towards promoting respect, reconciliation and a culture of peace and non-violence.” A/RES/78/266

We may not have any glaciers here in the Niagara region, but we certainly don’t have as much snow as we used to have! Climate change projections suggest warmer temperatures in the winters, and this means less and less snow that replenish the soil needed in agriculture.

“Noting that, over the past decades, global warming has led to widespread shrinking of the cryosphere [ice and snow on the ground and waterbodies], with mass loss from ice sheets and glaciers and reductions in snow cover, which have decreased the stability of high mountain areas and changed the amount and seasonality of run-off and water resources in snow dominated and glacier-fed river basins, as well as contributed to localized declines in agricultural yields in some high mountain regions, water scarcity, including reduced downstream water availability, and increased global mean sea level” A/RES/77/158

We therefore invite all poets to reflect on these themes and send their views in a poem or two.

Thème: « Année internationale de la paix et de la confiance » Ou « Année internationale de la préservation des glaciers »

Dans la dernière année, nous avons reconnu comment la paix peut être fragile partout à travers le monde.

« Consciente qu’il importe de développer des sociétés plus pacifiques en faisant progresser l’égalité, la tolérance, le développement humain et la promotion des droits humains, et affirmant à cet égard la nécessité d’investir dans l’éducation, notamment au moyen de politiques et pratiques efficaces, en vue de promouvoir le respect, la réconciliation et une culture de paix et de non-violence. » A/RES/78/266

Nous n’avons certainement pas de glaciers dans la région de la Niagara mais, nous n’avons plus autant de neige que dans le passé. Les prédictions des changements climatiques suggèrent que des augmentations des températures hivernales, résultant à avoir de moins en moins de neige nécessaire pour réapprovisionner les sols en eau pour l’agriculture.

Notant que les glaciers sont une composante essentielle du cycle hydrologique et que leur fonte et leur retrait accélérés, qui se produisent actuellement, ont de graves répercussions sur le climat, l’environnement, la préservation du bien-être et de la santé des êtres humains et le développement durable » A/RES/77/158

Nous invitons donc tous et toutes les poêtes à réfléchir sur ces thèmes et à envoyer leurs idées sous la forme d’un poème ou deux.

Submission Deadline / Date limite de soumission:

February 14, 2025 (5:00 p.m.)

Submission Categories / Les catégories de poèmes sont:

Elementary Student, High School Student, College/University Student, and General Public. / Etudiant(e)s du primaire, étudiant(e)s du secondaire, étudiant(e)s collégiaux ou  universitaires et toutes et tous les autres résident(e)s de la Niagara.

Who can submit a poem / Qui peut participer?:

All residents of the Niagara Region are eligible to enter. / Tous et toutes les résidents de la région de la Niagara, Ontario, Canada, sont invités à participer.

Prizes / Prix:

One prize will be awarded for each of the four categories. Prizes will include books, gift cards, and other gifts valuing over $50 per category. / Un prix sera décerné pour chacune des quatre catégories. Les prix incluront des livres, certificats cadeaux et autres prix pour une valeur de plus de $50 par catégorie.

Winners will be announced in time for the UNESCO World Poetry Day Celebration on March 21. / Les gagnant(e)s seront annoncés à la Journée mondiale de la Poésie de l’UNESCO, le 21 mars 2025. 

Thank you to all of the participants in our 2024 poetry contest!
Click the eBook link below to read all of the submissions from the contest.

Thank you to all of the participants in our 2023 poetry contest!
Click the eBook link below to read all of the submissions from the contest.

Thank you to all of the participants in our 2022 poetry contest!
Click the eBook link below to read all of the submissions from the contest.
Click the video link below to watch the Poetry Day Celebration.

Thank you to all of the participants in our 2021 poetry contest!
Click the eBook link below to read all of the submissions from the contest.
Click the video link below to watch the Poetry Day Celebration.

Thank you to all of the participants in our 2020 poetry contest!
Click the eBook link below to read all of the submissions from the contest.
Click the video link below to watch the Poetry Day Celebration.

Thank you to all of the participants in our 2019 poetry contest!
Click the eBook link below to read all of the submissions from the contest.

Thank you to all of the participants in our 2018 poetry contest!
Click the eBook link below to read all of the submissions from the contest.
Click the video link below to watch the Poetry Day Celebration.

Thank you to all of the participants in our first three poetry contests!
Click the eBook link below to read all submissions from 2015 – 2017.