The Maltese Poets Association joins the rest of the world to promote Peace and Sustainability through poetry

Patrick Sammut, vice-president of the MPA, reading his poem

The official poster for the Poetry Reading in Malta, B'Kara

Poet and MPA member Therese Pace

MPA President, Alfred Massa

MPA Secretary, Charles Magro

Poets, singers and musicians who participated

in the International Poetry Evening

Malta, through the collaboration of the Maltese Poets Association, (MPA) joined hundreds of other cities all over the world, yesterday, Saturday, 24^th September 2011, in relation to the “100 Thousand Poets for Change” project which this year had PEACE AND SUSTAINABILITY as its main theme.

Members of the MPA and the public in general met at 7 p.m. at the Main Hall in B’Kara Local Council where the event took place. MPA’s Secretary, Charles Magro, compered, while MPA’s President, Alfred Massa, made his habitual opening speech regarding the role of poetry and the poet in today’s society, emphasising his role as prophet and pulse of the common people. Massa remembered those present the importance of such an evening where Malta was taking part in a worldwide event promoting Peace and Sustainability. On the other hand, Magro insisted on the political role of the poet and this was strong in poems read throughout yesterday’s evening in B’Kara.

Poets of different sex and ages read their verse, and themes varied from today’s Palestine dramatic situation, to war, Japan’s national crises, famine, refugees fleeing war and death, the nuclear threat, terrorism and even animal cruelty, but also peace, the need for true democracy, and brotherhood between people of different cultures and religions.

The evening was also provided with live music, with pieces such as John Lennon’s Imagine, Pink Floyd’s The Gunner’s Dream and Pete Seeger’s Where Have All the Flowers Gone. All this to Miriam Ellul, MPA’s PRO and her family.

The co-ordinator for such event in Malta, MPA member Therese Pace, will be downloading poems read and related photos on the official website: http://www.bigbridge.org/100thousandpoetsforchange/?cat=581 and www.100TPC.org . Other reports and photos can be seen on the MPA’s official site: www.ghpm.blogspot.com .