Finally, he's coming! The fast moving, smooth talking, serious meaning champion of the Spoken Word, Roger Bonair-Agard will be home as the headline performer for the First Annual National Poetry Festival, Oct 15-21, Trinidad and Tobago.This year, the festival will draw attention to HIV/AIDS, and will carry the theme "Poets against the Pandemic: Defying the Disease through the Power of the Word".
Roger who has appeared on the HBO series Def Poetry Jam no less than three times, will use his poetry skills to help bring attention to pressing social issues and give young people exposure to our indigenous oral traditions.Roger will perform his one-man show "Masquerade: Poems of Calypso and Home" on Wednesday 17th at the Little Carib, 7pm. (Check him out at http://www.rogerbonairagard.com/ )
The brainchild of the Circle of Poets and the Idakeda group, the National Poetry Festival will feature an exciting array of new and original events, from Roadside Readings, to Storytelling and of course Open Mike performances. The Festival will culminate on October 20th with the installation of a new Poet Laureate of Port of Spain.
This years' festival is made possible through the support and commitment of the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs, with key involvement from the National Museum and NALIS.
PROGRAMME OF ACTIVITIES
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DATE |
EVENT/LOCATION |
TIME |
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Monday 15th |
Launch of Festival: National Museum |
7 pm – 9pm |
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Tuesday 16th |
Panel Discussion: Remembering and Re-creating: Contemporary Interpretations of our Oral Traditions, National Museum |
10 a.m. – 12 noon |
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Roadside Readings: Carib Centre, Arima |
7pm – 9pm
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Wednesday 17th |
Primary School Workshop: NALIS (POS) |
10 am- 12 noon |
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Roger Bonair-Agard's Masquerade, Little Carib Theatre
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7 p.m |
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Thursday 18th |
Secondary School Workshop: NALIS (POS)
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10 am – 12 noon
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Poetry and Jazz: 110 Jazz and Calypso Lounge, San Fernando |
7.30pm
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Friday 19th |
Storytelling as a Learning Tool: Dealing with Social Issues through the Power of the Word, National Museum
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10 am – 12 noon
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Open Mike: Alice Yard, Woodbrook |
9 pm |
Click here to read a 'Newsday' Article about the Festival
