Letter from Istanbul: The first of the "International Spring and Poetry Festival", organized under the leadership of Maltepe Municipality, was held in Maltepe. Turkish poets also took part in the festival where poets from 9 countries such as America, France, Cuba, Colombia, Nepal, Portugal, India, Russia and Nigeria participated. Poets recited their popular poems at the festival, which was organized with the contributions of the World Poetry Movement (WPM), of which Ataol Behramoğlu was one of its founders. Mayor Ali Kılıç, who made the opening speech of the festival and shared two poems he wrote about the importance of the day with poetry lovers, said, “Maltepe is a municipality that acts with cultural awareness, organizes a choir festival, organizes a theater festival and carries out many events internationally, especially for the 100th anniversary of the Republic, we gathered together painters from various countries. Today we are organizing a poetry festival. Thank you everyone,” he said. Organized under the leadership of Maltepe Municipality, the "International Spring and Poetry Festival" was held at Yaşar Kemal Cultural Center. Swedish-born American poet Agneta Falk Hirschman, Cuban poet Alex Pausides, Nigerian poet Ayo Ayoola-Amale, Colombian poet Fernando Rendón, and French poet Francis Combes participated in the festival organized with the contributions of the World Poetry Movement (WPM), of which Ataol Behramoğlu is also the founder.  Francis Combes, Nepali poet Keshab Sigdel, Portuguese poet Luis Filipe Sarmento, Indian Rati Saxena, Russian poet Vadim Terekhin, together with poets from foreign countries such as Nevzat Çelik, Eray Canberk, Altay Öktem, Nurduran Duman, Gonca Özmen, Onur Behramoğlu, as well as prominent Turkish poets participated. The host Mayor Ali Kılıç also stated that they talked with the poets about the meeting of politicians and poets and continued as follows: “Based on these feelings, I would like to emphasize my perspective on poetry as a local politician. Why did we need such a festival? Poetry is actually making a note in history, poetry is a revolution. Poetry is soil, it makes the soil green in every age. Poetry is a huge army whose weapon is language. It is also a hope. Poetry is love. Love is the greatest religion. Poetry is life itself. Poetry is actually spring. You poetry friends brought spring to Maltepe together. As a friend of mine who likes to write and draw a little, I saw Hatay after the earthquake that shook our country in February. I was in Hatay, where beliefs and cultures are cultivated and kept alive, and I wrote a poem. I want to read to you." After his sword speech, he recited the poems “Sustu azan, silent bell, silent hazan” and “Cappadociam”.

The host Mayor Ali Kılıç and Prof. Dr. Ataol Behramoğlu

Speaking after Kılıç, the poet, writer and lecturer Prof. Dr. Ataol Behramoğlu said, “Very esteemed president and dear friends, we will organize our festival for the first time this year, I hope it will continue for a long time. My poet friend from many countries of the world also participated in this first festival, and these participants are among the leading names of the World Poetry Movement. Our movement is an important movement and has hundreds of representatives around the world. In this sense, I would like to thank all the team who organized this excellent organization and our mayor. Maltepe Municipality really performed above my expectations. They are all cultural workers. I want a big round of applause. Spring and poetry, spring suits poetry, poetry suits spring. Both of them suit Istanbul. It's also at the beginning of the book. This is a properly chosen name. I'm not going to get into the question of what poetry is. We can't get out of it. Anyway, that's it. They will read your poems. You know and feel what poetry is and isn't. I will not list the names alone, there is no such thing as strangers, I do not like, and everything is us. All of these friends are members of the World Poetry Movement.  We are in the 100th anniversary of our republic. The Republic of Türkiye is not the name of a regime change but a renewal of existence. I beg you to listen carefully. While we disappeared here, we re-existed there. The Republic is the name of our re-existence.” and recited the poem "Türkiye". The Colombian poet Fernando Rendón, General Coordinator of the World Poetry Movement, started his speech by saying: “We call poetry the defense of humanity. Where is poetry at this moment in which we live in very difficult conditions in the world? It's like the world is having a nightmare. In fact, poetry is not outside; it is inside all of us. Poetry is in the pattern of all, living things and people, in the light that, it will transform us with the energy that will change the world.”  He continued:  “Wherever we see poetry in the world, it is the greatest hope for the world. In this sense, we wish the whole world to unite in the World Poetry Movement; we wish it to unite in the movement of love, solidarity and brotherhood. In other words, we wish all humanity to unite for justice and equality.” 

Fernando Réndon, World Poetry Movement General Coordinator (Colombia ) reads his poems

The American poetess Agneta Falk Hirschman addressed the guests in Turkish and said that “the language barriers would be broken with poetry”. Cuban poet Alex Pausides expressed his feelings as follows: “Today, Maltepe sheds a small light on the darkness of the world. Thanks to poetry, each of us had the chance to magnify the light of Maltepe. Asia is on one side, Africa is on the other. What a magical city. As Cubans, we translated the poems of Nazim Hikmet . Our poets were also translated into Turkish. It is a great honor for us to be in Nazim's land. Thanks." Nepali poet Keshab Sigdel stated that there is no sea in his country, that there are the highest mountains and that he sees Istanbul, which is the sea, and that it is poetry that unites the sea and the mountains.  Russian poet Vadim Terekhin conveyed the greetings of Russian writers and talked about the anthological poetry books they created in his country. Stating that Russia is going through a difficult period, Terekhin emphasized his belief that poetry will bring peace.  While the poet Nevzat Çelik pointed out that poetry will continue to exist against the sovereigns forever, Nurduran Duman, the Turkey representative of the World Poetry Movement, said, “Poetry is in everything and includes everything. If we consider the power of the word, poetry is a very powerful thing. Therefore, we can think of political and poetic action side by side by taking the power of poetry behind us. In this respect, poetry will bring more peace.” he said.  Other guest poets expressed their happiness at participating in the festival and drew attention to the unifying power of poetry and its importance in establishing friendships.

After the opening speeches, the guest poets read two of their poems in 3 sessions accompanied by pianist Selçuk Korku. Poets Eray Canberk and Fernando Rendón were given honorary awards at the festival.

Ayo Ayoola-Amale (Nigeria), in the press conference

Rati Saxena (India) reads her poems

Vadim Terekhin (Russia) recites his poems