For the dignity that poetry gives us, we join the global chorus for life, for real
change, now that we move along the dangerous cutting-edge of our human history.

WPMAddress: Carrera 50 A # 60-22, Medellín, Colombia, Suramérica.
Telephone: (574) 5421988 / Telefax: (574) 2549495
E-mail address: worldpoetrymovement@gmail.com
Web page: www.wpm2011.org

WPM Strategic Plan 2012-2014 for socio-cultural development through global poetic actions

1. Introduction

In order to consolidate, in a qualified and accurate way, the process of the World Poetry Movement –WPM–, a Strategic Plan 2012-2014 has been developed to provide integrity for all of its projects, through a strategy based on prospects for growth and expansion of its global scope in the short and medium term, with strategic objectives and strategic directions for achieving them.

It is pertinent to clarify that throughout this document there are references to poetic actions, so the reader must know what we mean.

Poetic action: Any activity designed socially, through the intervention of the poets making contributions with their creative art, to enhance the perspective of audience consciousness with respect to the ontological importance of poetry. These acts may also be symbolic expressions of solidarity with movements which target causes that benefit planetary life, inclusiveness, justice and diversity, generating cultural interactions and promoting an aesthetic and ethical sense of existence.

Classes of shared poetry: In this context we identify two classes of poetic actions:Celebratory and congregational poetic action: all kinds of poetic action involving urban and ruralspaces for the construction of a socio-cultural texture, such as the International Poetry Festivals and poetry readings taking place around the world, inviting the public to participate in that spiritual and cultural dimension of sensitivity, solidarity, plural and emotional dialogue necessary to access the great changes that are preparing a new humanism in the world.

Such actions are driven by global dynamics and some of them are united in solidarity with causes working for change in the areas of ecology, human rights, peace, social inclusion, and multiculturalism that promote diversity and social justice---causes for which it is vital to work
in our time.

Poetic action of a pedagogical projection: Any action explicitly involving training, that has as its axis poetic creation. In this field of poetic actions we place Poetry Schools (both virtual and actual), where courses are held in which current issues are discussed in the light of poetry, knowledge and the experience of both past poets (poets fundamental in the history of poetry) and today’s poets are made manifest; courses and workshops for teachers and for training the trainers
(young poets, workshop leaders and artists with creative writing potential) are scheduled, as well as courses and workshops for children, adolescents and adults; panels, conferences and, in general, projects of transmission of knowledge about poetry and stimuli towards writing poetry are part of the general agenda.

2. Presentation of the World Poetry Movement (WPM)

WPM is a non-governmental, non-profit organization based in Medellin, Colombia, constituted,
to date, by organizations and poets: 114 poetry festivals around the world, 96 projects of poetry,
1.178 poets from 131 nations on all continents. Their job is to lead, co-ordinate and develop a permanence to a combination of international and local projects on every continent, projectedinto a multicultural humanity, open to the great transformations that act in a synchronized manner across the world, through actions whose axis is the social projection of poetic expression,
both in its congregational and celebratory sense (International Poetry Festivals and other
congregational projects) and in its formative dimension (Schools of Poetry with courses, workshops, panels, conferences and educational projects for poetry). It also promotes solidarity actions with global movements fighting for causes of social ecology, environmental and mental health, respect for cultural diversity, full inclusiveness and social transformation.

The World Poetry Movement (WPM) is an organization of organizations, projects and enterprises
whose responsibility is poetic, among other things, in order to maintain internal cohesion in the sense of accurately articulating to all its allies through a Strategic Plan of actions that willequip them organically and dynamically, bearing in mind that everything that is undertaken isaimed at contributing effectively to the processes of strengthening the socio-cultural changes from the perspective of the actions taken by the poets, at a time when their knowledge and influence on local social formations are useful for moving towards new paradigms that serveas transitional momentum, with a view of a humanity with a new attitude toward demands in a tough time, with the over-hovering question of what does living and the survival of the human species on the planet really mean?

The World Poetry Movement (WPM) is a constructive force for peace that promotes, supportsand develops activities of various kinds, among which are workshops for children to manifest the creative use of language through creative writing; creative writing workshops for young people and adults and teacher training workshops for teachers; and workshops for filmmakers-poets self-taught and just beginning, with interests in multi-media with respect to contemporary and experimental poetry. In this poetic dimension of actions the World Poetry School will co-ordinate the overall process vis-à-vis the schools of poetry and teaching projects on a global scale, worldwide.

Since its founding in July 2011, the World Poetry Movement is characterized as a global movement whose essence is multiculturalism, diversity, inclusiveness (through poetic and artistic activities) in the processes of socio-cultural groups, even of social outcasts, the development of audiences gathered around humanistic proposals made by poets with their actions both congregational in nature (recitals and dialogues with the public invited) and pedagogical.

In this regard, at the Meeting in Medellin, 2011 (which led to the formation of WPM) founders
presented papers whose themes are the benchmark to guide us internationally in the future. These thematic cores are: Peace and reconstruction of the Human Spirit / Involvement and recovery of nature / Unity of human spirit and cultural diversity of the peoples / Material poverty and spiritual wealth / Actions towards the globalization of poetry. These issues are deeply permeating in the consciousness of human beings in this second decade of the 21st century. (See: http://www.wpm2011.org/es/node/18)

In this way the World Poetry Movement struggles for the dignity of people through the dignity
that poetry radiates in its social projection, since it is urgent now to restore the gifts of dialogue,
solidarity and co-existence based on exchange that fosters the network of global poetic actions.
The World Poetry Movement advances in organic growth in its attempt to make sense of the peoples’ existence and deep significance based on the configuration of spaces of free expression,
with large audiences, where poetic actions are carried out---conceived, designed and planned
by the poets belonging to this planetary movement.

3. Background

With the meeting of 37 heads of international poetry festivals on four continents, fostered and developed in the context of the 21st International Poetry Festival of Medellin, from July 2 to8, 2011, it became possible to structure the World Poetry Movement (WPM).

The pioneer of this global movement, the reference point of its origin is the Meeting of Directors of International Poetry Festivals, sponsored by the International Poetry Festival of Medellin, a pioneer in educating the public through poetic actions, which has contributed to generate social good-will through congregational and celebratory activities such as poetry readings with poets from all continents, forming a multicultural choir that shines brightly, making the decision to unite in a new sensitivity to current problems that much easier.

Then, according to the dynamics and the radiation of the International Poetry Festival of Medellin, the conditions were in place to create a network of international poetry festivals in Latin America. In developing the World Poetry Festival in Caracas in 2005 and 2006 meetings were held by representatives of the International Poetry Festivals of Caracas, Havana, Medellin and Puerto Rico, who raised the need for the creation of a continental network of international poetry meetings, as a cultural process designed to defend and deepen the process of creating poetry events and projects in Latin America.

In late May 2010, the idea took strong hold among the delegates of twelve Latin American international poetry festivals represented at the first meeting of the Network in Havana, Cuba, officially becoming Our America Network of International Poetry Festivals (http://www.rednuestraamericadepoesia.org/).

It prepared a Declaration of Principles signed by the participants at that meeting. Its first tasks were planned and an Operating Committee was appointed.

Later in September 2010, the second meeting of this network was held in Medellin, which laid the first foundations of this Strategic Plan, i.e., the working groups constituted for the realization of organizational, financial, communications, publishing and teaching, to be implemented on a continental scale. A new Statement was prepared which complements the text signed in Havana,
and which adopted a set of tasks.

The International Poetry Festival in Berlin (organized by Literaturwerkstatt) has led to regular meetings of heads of international poetry festivals in Europe and vital poetic projects in Africa, who have agreed to work collectively in the vital development projects for the dissemination of poetry, as Lyrikline (www.lirykline.org), which includes the voices and poetry of 703 poets in the world.

The International Poetry Festival in Trois-Riviéres (Canada) leads an International Federationof Festivals for Poetry, which includes the participation of 23 poetry festivals, some of them of French speaking participants.

Historically there have been conditions, according to the requirements that the world demands for growth and development, both culturally and spiritually, to help strengthen the foundations that support strongly the construction of a new humanism, a renewed awareness and sensitivity to the individual changes projected into the world for social change.

Current Members of World Poetry Movement

The World Poetry Movement (WPM) is now comprised by 210 international poetry organizations, including 114 international poetry festivals, 96 poeti projects and 1.178 poets of 131 nations on all continents. The World Poetry Movement works daily in co-ordination with its members to integrate more prominent poets, festivals, schools of poetry and poets’ organizations into the global organization and to delve into the influence of poetry in today's world. The general list of members of the WPM can be found at: http://www.wpm2011.org/es/node/3

Directors of international poetry festivals and founding members of WPM are:

  • Tomás Arias, representative of Barcelona Poesía (Spain)
  • Kwame Dawes, representative of Calabash International Literary Festival
  • Sixto Cabrera, representative of Encuentro Latinoamericano de Poesía en Veracruz (Mexico)
  • José María Memet, director del Encuentro Internacional de Poetas ChilePoesía
  • Otoniel Guevara, poet and director of Encuentro Internacional de Poetas El Turno del Ofendido (El Salvador)
  • Fernando Rendón, director, and Gabriel Jaime Franco, Jairo Guzmán and Gloria Chvatal, representatives of Festival Internacional de Poesía de Medellín (Colombia)
  • Alex Pausides, poet and director of Festival Internacional de Poesía de La Habana (Cuba)
  • Fernando Valverde, poet and director of Festival Internacional de Poesía de Granada (Spain)
  • Gaston Bellemare, director of Festival International de la Poèsie de Trois-Rivières (Canada)
  • Amir Or, poet and director of the International Poetry Festival Sha'ar (Israel)
  • IrynaVikyrchak, poet and executive director of The International Poetry Festival Meridian Czernowitz (Ukraine)
  • Lello Voce, poet and representative of International Poetry Festival Roma Poesía and Absolute Poetry (Italy)
  • Rira Abbasi, director of International Festival of Peace Poetry (Iran)
  • Graciela Araoz, poet and director of Festival Internacional de Poesía de Buenos Aires (Argentina)
  • José Mármol, poet and director of Festival Internacional de Poesía de República Dominicana
  • Giovanni Gómez, poet and director of Festival Internacional de Poesía Luna de Locos (Pereira, Colombia)
  • Aaron Rueda, representative of the Festival Iberoamericano de Poesía “Salvador Díaz Mirón”(Mexico)
  • Rodolfo Dada, poet and representative of Festival Internacional de Poesía de Costa Rica
  • Rigoberto Paredes, poet and director of Festival Internacional de Poesía de Honduras
  • Lucy Cristina Chau, poet and director of Festival Internacional de Poesía ArsAmandi (Panama)
  • Marvin García, poet and director del Festival Internacional de Poesía de Quetzaltenango (Guatemala)
  • Vilma Reyes and Vicente Rodríguez Nietzche, poet, and representative del Festival Internacional de Poesía de Puerto Rico
  • Rafael del Castillo and Fernando Linero, poets and representatives of Festival Internacional de Poesía de Bogotá (Colombia)
  • Gabriel Impaglioni, poet and director of Festival Internacional de Poesía Palabra en el Mundo(Argentina/Italy)
  • AtaolBehramoglu, poet and organizer of International Poetry Festival of Smirna (Turkey)
  • RatiSaxena, poet and director of Krytia International Poetry Festival (India)
  • Thomas Wolfhart, director of Literaturwerkstatt Berlin (Germany)
  • EndreRuset, poet and director of NorskLitteraturfestival (Norway)
  • Regina Dyck, director of Poetry on the Road (Bremen, Germany)
  • Peter Rorvik, director of Poetry Africa (South Africa)
  • Bas Kwakman, director of Poetry International Rotterdam (The Netherlands)
  • Céline Hémon, director of International Communications of Les Printemps des Poètes (Paris, France)
  • Zabier Hernández, director of the Recital Internacional de Poesía desde el Sur (Pasto, Colombia)
  • Jack Hirschman, poet and director of San Francisco International Poetry Festival (United States)
  • Nikola Madzirov, poet and representative of Struga Poetry Evenings (Macedonia)
  • Ban’yaNatsuishi, director of Tokyo Poetry Festival (Japan)
  • Ide Hintze, director of the Vienna Poetry School (Austria)

4. Justification

"Building a responsible and united world is a long-term project that requires the participation of all the creative forces of mankind. Culture, education, philosophy, law, science, information technology and international co-operation provide us with the means to achieve it. Constructing the defenses of human dignity in everyday life is not a utopia. Humanism is a promise we must keep." (Irina Bokova, Director General of UNESCO).

World Poetry Movement (WPM) is the result of an historical conjunction of poetical projects worldwide, experiencing the urgency to associate by entering the orbit of globally impacted achievements.

We believe that poetic actions can contribute to the construction of a new humanism and can be defined clearly and effectively using the resources of communication wherewith the position of poets may be heard and understood as spiritual heritage fighting to preserve and safeguard the human species through the constructive impact of their actions.

This sense of defense of the species, the dignity that poetry has claimed under the sun, this spiritual battle that poets have engaged in for centuries, crystallizes into congregational achievements in global operations of media resonance, using cutting-edge technologies available in a globalized economy of planetary reach interconnected by Internet electronic networks and
systems of global coverage by satellite.

We know that, before the onslaught of barbarism, poets have spiritual resources for resistance, by a process affecting the general awareness through partnerships and ventures involving the urban spaces for the congregating and the staging of the symbolic powers---art and poetry designed to transform the historical conditions that stagnate the spirit and alertness to advance
to the contingencies.

The same spiritual impetus marks the lives of human beings on earth. The human spirit is consolidated in lucidity. Insight into and empowerment against alienating and oppressive forces have been the task of poetry. Its action has been a silent emblem of resistance, a resistance to the reproach of barbarism by radiating a light that conjures, invoking the powers of the spirit world through knowledge and the development of self-consciousness.

Now more than ever, poets are invited to the great transformations. Their minds have beenpreparing for a long time, ever since they were expelled from the Republic (Plato). The poet's time to intervene, to assert the voice that represents number, the voice of the tribe saying the great truths and getting heard by the representatives of the powers that have lead to so dire dreadful, devastating and genocidal an economy is now!

The poet begins to be a deep ecologist, who will release the new consciousness that has beenopened in anticipation of a new festival on earth after overcoming a dark age. Disclosing the urgent need to radically change everything.Putting into question everything that is associatedwith the decay of the technocracy, overexploitation and the torture of nature. The time is ripeto promote the full realization that we are in transit. As Friedrich Nietzsche expressed: "the greatness of man lies in knowing he is a bridge and not a goal, what one can love in men is that it is a transit and a sunset."

It is in short of achieving the maximum number of poetry actions between 2012 and 2014 as a
way to start building intervention areas that will serve as a global launching pad for our proposals and achievements in the context of influence, from the poetic field and artistic creation in the construction of new approaches to socio-cultural transformations that induce the change inconsciousness towards a better world than the one that has exists at present..

5. Context

5.1 External context

5.1.1 Opportunities

Global opportunities

While some aspects of globalization stand as threats to the World Poetry Movement, this phenomenon of our time also presents significant opportunities for development, expansion in coverage, consolidation and the achievement of all strategic objectives through the successful co-ordination and carrying out of all interventions globally, through digital media(such as the Internet). This enables constituting poetic actions that decisively influence each locality, encouraged by the overall thrust of the achievements and properly synchronized and orchestrated
by the respective integrated entities that are part of the World Poetry Movement to constitute the sources of development and implementation on a global scale.

In this global perspective there are many more opportunities to manage resources and create partnerships with global organizations operating in the same path of building a new consciousness for social change.

In this way the globalization of communications and various humanistic values acts as real opportunities that accelerate the achieving of the results proposed in this plan.

Social opportunities

  1. The influence of social groups that participate in Calls, since the nature of local projects is precisely that of this great social projection. These act on global problems and make real contributions from the poetic action transformers. Previous works and experiences of each integrated project will give the World Poetry Movement a wealth of experiences that are the real support for future developments. These already have been made public but and are exerting greater coverage with respect to the social implications of the Movement.
  2. The strengthening of social organizations and progressive NGOs, fighting for the deepening of democracy, peace, cultural and environmental rights, and alternative educational projects, allow for mutual collaboration as an opportunity to work in relation to shared goals.
  3. International monitoring over the care and respect for human rights globally.

Political opportunities

  1. Depending on the political situation in each country, and without sacrificing the political independenc every project, where there are clearly reactionary governments in the political
    and cultural arenas, create favorable political conditions for survival and sustainability of Festivals and the World Poetry Movement (WPM).
  2. The presentation of a law project to Congress in each country to protect poetry festivalsand national projects could improve the situation of the cultural sector in the respective countries and therefore of the WPM.
  3. Another positive aspect is the importance it has attached to culture in countries that are shaking off their dependence on world politics, with a large budget for cultural processes, including editing and publishing of poetry books, and dissemination of poetry on a larger scale through TV, radio and press.

Cultural opportunities

  1. Language differences: The International Poetry Festivals, bastions of WPM have developedcapabilities for bringing contemporary world poetry to our countries, through qualified translation projects, orally and in writing, so that linguistic diversity has, far from being an obstacle, become an opportunity, which can be further supported by academic institutions.
  2. Digital books and poetry publications: proper editing and distribution and exchange are an opportunity to reach objectives in encouraging reading.
  3. Movies, TV and radio are mass media, relevant in the processes of diffusion of culture, which is essential to use for the Network and Festivals.

Technological opportunities

  1. Internet: The speed of communications media (audio, video, writing) at an international level, and the acquisition of computer equipment at ever lower prices.
  2. Multimedia: The ability to reach different audiences, not just readers of the written word, but readers of the iconosphere (world of concrete images, such as television, videos, etc.).
  3. The development of the media (radio, film, television, Internet) should be maximized.

5.1.2 Threats:

Global threats

When all the paradigms of modernity have broken through to a moment of rearrangement of capitalism through the implementation of globalization, it is pertinent to note the diversity and richness of poetic experiences worldwide and reflect on strategies for the globalization of poetic action as a way to counter the devastating effects of the globalization of economy through the various means of proliferation and global control.

Important contributions are required to build new areas of feeling and desire. We know there is a siege of several dominant modes of assessment that stands between the empire of a world market that imposes equivalence among material goods, cultural and natural. Social and international relations are dominated by sophisticated global entities, both police and military; nation states are to serve the interests of transnational markets and the complex of military industries, and among the most serious is the increase of vast areas of poverty, hunger and death as the stimulation system of transnational capital.

Ecologically experienced, globally, what has been called "the paradox of the present time" which is that the continuous development of new techno-scientific means, potentially capableof solving environmental problems and rebalance socially useful activities in the planet, is counter to the inability of organized social forces and reliant on the media to make them effective.

On this so crucial issue, which serves as a starting point for understanding our current emergency climatic, ecological, social, spiritual and ethical situation, it is pertinent to remember that traditional dualistic oppositions and geo-political circumstances that guided the social thought are deciduous, that conflict situations continue, but registered in areas incompatible with Manichean ideological adherence. There is a growing immigration racism associated with a progressive and we see a new map of the human condition enrolled in a globalized economy, in a rather complex global picture about the permanence of the human species on the planet, given large-scale immigration.

Of the poetic actions we can derive the three ecologies (environmental, social and mental) and
in fact this practice has been done and performed in cultures guided by a sense of life less
traumatic and Western. Against this background a radical reappraisal of all that exists till now
is posed. It is, ultimately, to recover us as humans, as everything is a result of our fragmentation.

Social threats

  1. The growth of poverty and the declining of purchasing power of the population, makes even the movement of segments of the population living at greater distances from the events planned by the Festivals, or the acquisition of books, which are not among their priorities.
  2. The harmful influence of the media with its programming of film and television stubbornly criminal, satanic, horrible, ideological manipulation, or simply frivolous among youth and childhood It impedes access to our proposal, because it diverts one’s attention.
  3. The developed countries where sharp political conflicts or war foster fear in the communities.

Political threats

  1. The attitude and policy of some governments with foreign agencies or NGOs are destabilizing factors, because the festivals can become a target of harassment, through the financial siege and other repressive measures.
  2. The open tendency of some states to reduce the resources devoted to culture.
  3. The effect of the economic crisis in the private sector could hamper co-operation in this sector.

Economical threats

  1. The effects of the revaluation of national currencies against the dollar could cause serious and ongoing declines in revenue.
  2. The trend of tax reforms in some countries, aimed at total elimination of tax exemptions to nonprofit organizations.
  3. Taxes must sometimes pay some festivals because of income or sale of services (charges for poetry readings at universities or other entities that involve collection of VAT in some countries), represent a financial risk that we have begun to reverse.
  4. The high costs of the acquisition of imported books of poetry, as well as paper for printing books, or the extreme difficulty of acquisition.

Cultural threats

  1. Poor or no reading habits in our countries.
  2. The unbearable trivialization of culture and life on television and other media have extremely harmful effects on culture, and even more on the public that we favor.
  3. The so-called popular music, which often seems to follow the same trend as television.
  4. The university education deficit, pragmatic and far from comprehensive training and humanist, far from poetic spirit.
  5. The retrograde spirit, mis-information and prejudice against progressive culture and poetry to stimulate the media.

Technological threats

  1. The high costs of printing and distributing books and magazines, preventing access to these publications, are greater.
  2. The high costs of space and television production destroys the possibility of further dissemination of poetry by this means.

Environmental threats

To the already meager existence of agencies for culture, we might add that natural disasters in the world can cause a re-addressing the priority use of resources of these agencies.

5.2 Internal context

5.2.1 Strengths

  1. 1. Since the scope of the World Poetry Movement is eminently global, this aspect is characterized as one of its strengths. This global character is strengthened because the nature of WPM is to be made up of large international projects such as the 114 International Poetry Festivals, from all continents, which to date are an active part of this process that began five months ago and already features 94 poetic projects of various kinds, different from International Poetry Festivals. All this guarantees a global strength in its ability to act, influence, and get results quickly proposed.
  2. WPM structure is already formed and acting, which gives institutional strength because it’s a dream building this reality and is active on all continents.
  3. It’s convening power, based on the immense historical prestige of poetry as heritage and spiritual reserve of humanity.
  4. The team that is this movement is of great history and great experience. Poets are vital and strongly committed to perform poetic actions globally.
  5. The sustained international prestige and reputation of its partners.
  6. The organizational capacity acquired by each of its members.
  7. The combined experience in resource management.
  8. The positive influence of culturally active social groups in the world.
  9. The ability to influence local cultural processes intertwined andgive them global force.
  10. Strong motivation for international exchange in the collective of International Poetry Festivals and the various projects worldwide.

5.2.2 Weaknesses

  1. Nowadays WPM doesn’t have a sustainable structure.
  2. WPM doesn’t have now the resources needed to provide infrastructure for an autonomous operation.

5.2.3 Internal focus group

Co-ordinating Committee: Peter Rorvik (South Africa), Bas Kwakman (Netherlands), Jack Hirschman (USA), RatiSaxena (India), Amir Or (Israel), Alex Pausides (Cuba), IrynaVikyrchak (Ukraine) Dino Siotis (Greece), Gabriel Impaglioni (Argentina), AtaolBehramoglu (Turkey), Fernando Rendón (Colombia) –General Coordinator-.

Co-ordinating Committee. It deals with deepening and preserving the work of organizing the World Poetry Movement in relation to their own growth, to the inclusion of all international poetry festivals in the world and the establishment of new international poetry festivals in cities
and countries where they don’t exist,keeping alive the connection and communication between the festivals, feeding the database of poets, poetry projects and translations of poetry, as well as festivals, schools and publications of poetry and agencies and national institutions and international cooperation, managing resources, structuring international and domestic relations towards the expansion of WPM, and coordinating the overall poetic actions to ensure achievement of its strategic goals and objectives.

This committee works for the development and realization of the Strategic Plan 2012-2014 World Poetry Movement and will be attentive to the performance of tasks and projects to be executed.

The meetings of the Co-ordinating Committee of WPM occur every 15 days on time, using the Facebook Chat for the closed coordination group of World Poetry Movement, developing an agenda (http://www.facebook.com/ #! /Profile.php? Id = 100002587701573) and its members communicate this way from different cities of the world where compliance and control requirements of the tasks of this Strategic Plan would require it.

The Co-ordinating Committee is on track to create Departments for Organization, Finances, Communications, Education, Publications and Translations.
These departments will be set up by poets and members of the WPM of different nationalities and will communicate via chat, and meetings, whenever necessary.
The Organization Department will address the constitution of national and continental sections of WPM, under the Strategic Plan and for the realization of different projects and global actions planned.

The continental sections will co-ordinate inland deepening of regional work. The national sections will expand the local actions and tasks. The Organization Department is responsible in 2014 for the extension of the World Poetry Movement poets and organizations in 180 countries.
The Finances Department will explore the variety of options to collect funds and resources to fund programs, projects and actions of WPM. It will manage and monitor the projects that WPM will send to the financial authorities and relevant agencies.

The Communications Department will operate in the direction of the mainstream media on the Internet, radio, TV, print and alternative media in the world, to amplify the objectives, statements and proposals of the World Poetry Movement in the society of our time. It will be responsible for managing the website and Facebook page of WPM, to send a monthly newsletter to its members and strategic audience. Also to create an alternative network of integrated media for the Webpages of the festivals that are part of WPM, as well as the poetic projects, the schools of poetry and the poets in it. The Communications Department will create a web TV channel and radio station for WPM.

The Department of Education will promote a process of transmitting knowledge about world poetry by creating a World Poetry School (digital and multilingual), incorporated and enriched through the experience of different schools of poetry and educational workshops available in the world, in interaction with UNESCO, in order to radiate this amount of experience and knowledge of poetry in schools, colleges and universities worldwide.

The Publications Department will have a priority role in the creation of a world poetry collection, in several languages, in digital format (PDF), for scheduled distribution at no cost.
Each department will have a responsible, if possible a member of the World Poetry Movement

Co-ordinating CommitteeGeneral Co-ordinator tasks:

To link the work of the various departments through constant dialogue with those responsible of them.
Prepare the agenda and to convoke the different chat meetings of the Co-ordinating Committee.
Preserve the spirit of unity of the Co-ordinating Committee.
Ensure the development of World Poetry Movement and the timely compliance of the Strategic Plan.

6. Principles at the basis of World Poetry Movement (WPM)

We express the urgent need for solidarity and brotherhood among peoples.
WPM will work to promote, extend and strengthen intercultural dialogue and the inclusion of ethnic minorities in the processes aimed at meeting strategic objectives.
We recognize the challenges facing humanity in the degradation of nature and life on earth and we believe that poetry can help create a global awareness of this grave danger hovering over mankind and his world.
We recognize fully the difference and diversity of poetic traditions, and respect the spiritual and cultural dynamics and strategies of each one of the festivals that enrich it.
The World Poetry Movement bases its poetic essence on actions that contribute to positively transform the spiritual insecurity in which humanity has sunk. Respect for life, diversity and the difference between humans, and pure love and respect for nature.
International poetry festivals are a possibility for citizen participation in poetry and poets in their utopian aspiration to change the lives of thousands of men and women on the planet.
International poetry festivals and Meetings are a tool in the fight for the democratization of culture and the human need to participate in the foreshadowing of his and her own destiny, with a singular vision to the beauty, truth and justice.
The certainty that poetry and poets deeply sympathize with the millions of men and women who are experiencing serious problems and deficiencies in the world and we must fight, in our language and our ability to share, for the urgent change worldwide

7. Values

7.1 Ethical values

  1. Humanism: It is in the prospect of a new humanism that our mission is based.
  2. Fellowship: This value is and will be the intercultural essence of the World Poetry Movement WPM
  3. Solidarity: We are moved by a sense of support and commitment to all people, nations and world regions that need assistance and the vital impulse.
  4. Justice: As a daily struggle in humanity balanced perspective regarding the equitable sharing of assets, both material and spiritual culture, essential to existence.
  5. Inclusion: All WPM poetic actions aimed at the inclusion of marginalized social groupsand socio-cultural processes
  6. Honesty: Because of this value all members of WPM have achieved credibility, respectability and prestige among the public and summon entities both in local environments where they develop their projects and in international institutions that manage the resources.
  7. Recognition of diversity: There are more ties and cross-cultural projects through the International Festival of Poetry and poetic actions involving various poets and audiences on five continents.
  8. Dignity and Human Rights: World Poetry Movement struggles to preserve human dignity and their rights.
  9. Education: teaching poetry focuses our actions in order to contribute to the training and qualificationsof people involved in the poetic actions.
  10. Respect for difference: This value is grown fundamentally because without it the above values would not occur.

7.2 Development values

  1. Creativity: This value is the engine of the activities of WPM. Just the globalization of poetic action is based on creativity of poets’ social projects to promote and develop creativity in public summons.
  2. Communicability: All acts of internal co-ordination, the enterprises to position the WPM and the realization of the actions of poetry, whose essence is the call for the public, are possible thanks to an optimal level of communicability
  3. Flexibility is a value that gives capacity for openness, understanding and agreement to the organizing team and projects a kindred spirit to the mission of this plan.
  4. Teamwork: WPM makes sense, effectiveness and positive impact with its ability to work as a team.
  5. Pro-activity: Is a condition, a virtue that is cultivated in daily exercise versus making decisions about the daily challenges.
  6. Innovation: WPM is itself an innovative process in the cultural field. Innovation is the versatility of poetic experiences.

7.3 Other values

The following values are related to internal organizational capability of World Poetry Movement

  1. Commitment: It is a characteristic value of all the partners of WPM. Without the commitment would not be possible to achieve the objectives.
  2. Effectiveness: Possible to meet all commitments.
  3. Efficiency: Given the experience and commitment, there is ample authority to develop the objectives proposed height
  4. Purpose: This value allows the world to enable the necessary and required to make certain decisions.
  5. Participation: All WPM partners participate according to the guidelines required for specific poetic actions.
  6. Planning: This value is implicit in the organizational and dynamic organic WPM. This plan is part of the application of this value.
  7. Sustainability: A sustained operational value in all administrative skills and work style of the organizers.

8. Mission

Based on the principles underlying the World Poetry Movement and with the ethical values that bring us together and mobilize, the mission of the World Poetry Movement (WPM) is to contribute through globalization and performing of poetic actions in the construction of a new humanism for the twenty first century, promoting, permanently, intercultural dialogue through fraternal and universal language of poetry, way to transformation and renewal of consciousness, for the benefit of humanity at peace, reconciled with nature and aware of both cultural diversity and the sense of justice and social inclusion in cultural development processes of all the inhabitants of the planet. In this perspective WPM will consider also the importance of its presence in all scenarios of global influence, being pro-active and inclusive social groups such as ethnic minorities and their cultural heritage. The World Poetry Movement will act for the preservation of life on land, unity of action of the festivals in the world with poetic projects and related acting on principles and values, world peace and the right to beauty, justice and truth for all human beings.

Therefore, it is part of the mission to get the WPM gain organizational strength, internal cohesion, openness and flexibility regarding the circumstances of the globalized world to go step by step to meet the strategic objectives that will enable this mission to be a successful one.

9. Vision

By 2014, the World Poetry Movement (WPM), formed as a planetary NGO, with a legal status granted by UNESCO, is positioned and consolidated with a number of partners including the International Poetry Festivals, Schools of Poetry and poetic projects of influence in the social, cultural, educational and media areas that promote the integration and transformation of peoples and societies with a clear path towards a new humanism as an experience of a new attitude to the relationship of humanity with itself, with nature and with the sacred gifts of the planet.

Social Poetic Movement is widely recognized by the European Union, UNASUR and other global and regional political and cultural organizations. UNESCO has recognized this and WPM has been awarded with funding. Aid agencies in the world have also recognized the WPM and have provided it with funding.

The World Poetry Movement is recognized by poets and poetry organizations in the world, different social groups, education and culture of different countries, states and governments as an effective and efficient movement in achieving its strategic objectives, qualified in the knowledge and action of contemporary poetry in the world.

It has been influenced in a way that has increased significantly (by several thousand) the number of people on five continents, which are active and participatory audiences at festivals and international events and local-conscious acting in the construction of a new humanism is seen as a fact and disclosed to a large number of people worldwide.

There has been an optimal virtual platform with technology resources optimally and appropriately working in terms of efficiency in communications and technological support for the internal operations.

It has made its website as one of the most visible internationally in the field of poetry, with a large digital audio-visual content and contemporary poetry of the world.

In the meantime the World Poetry Movement has grown into a poetic force, culturally and spiritually by the global contemporary society because of its commitment and achievements towards the development of a new humanity.

There is a strong social base worldwide that tunes into the TV series by World Poetry Movement in its own channel in the Web of WPM. There is a strong social base, globally, listening to radio programming of WPM, which can be tuned in on its website.

There is self-sustainability for the diversity and stability of funding sources of WPM.

Reliability has been achieved by co-operating strategic partners because the World Poetry Movement has been fully in the implementation of its projects, its principles and ethical values.
There is a working team (task force and commissions) stable, professional, committed and consolidated.
There is a large group of qualified staff, internal and external developers and volunteers to implement the Strategic Plan.
We have implemented the continuous operation of the Panels of Finance (separated from organization) and Publications (separated from Communications).

10. Focus audience

The World Poetry Movement conducts its activities through national processes that guide the festivals and international poetry meetings in each country. The peoples of the world without distinction of any kind, but aware that their priorities should be focused on protecting young people, children and adolescents, and their work should also focus on teachers, workers and employees, the unemployed, and men and women displaced and marginalized.

Most of the public of the international poetry festival is made up of young men and women between 16 and 30 years, between the social strata 1 to 5. Success in the proliferation of many international poetry festivals in the world is that much of the world population has been discriminated against and excluded from free access to cultural goods and services. So the target population of this Strategic Plan consists of almost all classes and social strata, access to the rich programming offered for free by the different festivals.

11. Strategic goals for 2012, 2013 and 2014

SG1. Improved global coverage and public training in the field called the congregational poetic actions that promote a new sensitivity to multiculturalism and intercultural dialogue.

Actions:

1.1 Co-ordinate and work to develop 450 international poetry festivals around the world (150 per year).
1.2 Consolidate, through organizational work, the performance of 12,000 poetry readings, for 12 congregational poetic actions to be scheduled the same day worldwide, based on a projected number of 1,000 groups linked to the global cause.
1.3 To promote and co-ordinate participation of ten million people annually, including both the audience to acts of the various festivals like the viewers, radio listeners and those who access Internet transmissions.
1.4 Co-ordinate and achieve the realization of at least 5,000 acts of international poetry festivals that make up the World Poetry Movement.

SG2. To improve global coverage and audience shaping convened in the field of training poetic actions.

Actions:

1.2 Co-ordinate with the Education Committee the planning, design and operation of a World Poetry School that allows the articulation of poetry schools and poetic training and innovative projects in the world.
2.2 Getting 200 international poetry festivals in their programming to implement the realization of International Schools of Poetry
3.2 Co-ordinate and make them perform 1000 creative writing workshops for children and young people from five continents.
4.2 Co-ordinate and ensure that 1000 courses are made by poets, experts in creative writing, as training for trainers.

SG3. Strengthen the processes of communications, information and publishing on both physical and digital media.

Actions:

1.3 To see to it that 500 of the media with the greatest impact in the world make a permanent job-outreach for projects and activities of the World Poetry Movement.
2.3 To publish on printed material each year the Proceedings of the International Poetry Festivals that is part of the World Poetry Movement.
3.3 To provide the WPM website with the best updates and a great platform of digital poetic actions with voices, videos, photos and translations, and a TV channel with programming fed by festivals in it.
4.3 Achieve a regular space in a global television channel or cable TV.
5.3 Conduct a permanent global radio program administered by the WPM on its website.
6.3 Create a department of printed and digital editing for the edition of a newspaper of WPM and an intercontinental collection of poetry books.
7.3 Create a world center for translations.
8.3 To make documentary videos and publications of various festivals with a high aesthetic level, to be broadcast globally, obtaining new funds for each Festival.

SG 4.To establish a structure of economic sustainability for the operation and co-ordination of WPM.

Actions:

1.4 To raise funds with existing strategic partners
2.4 To raise funds with potential strategic partners

SG 5. To have performed with a unique style of working, committed, participatory and
quality

Actions:

1.5 To strengthen the overall structure of the World Poetry Movement (WPM) and fostering a culture of quality and transparency in work processes, internal coordination and organizational structure.
2.5 To promote human and professional development of all equipment in the WPM.

11. Strategies of World Poetry Movement for achieving its goals

11.1 Strategies facing the peoples and communities of the world

  1. To act from reception of the poetry of the peoples of the world, from every continent, every country, to vigorously assist the attainment of peace with social justice and cultural transformation, social and political, which our and all continents require.
  2. Extend the influence and presence of the International Poetry Festivals that are part of World Poetry Movement in order to expand the influence of poetry in all walks of life, through a growing involvement in the life of cities and villages, with works aimed particularly at youth, teens and children.
  3. To use large-scale mass media to expand the spirit of poetry and a vision of the future fair and bright for mankind.
  4. Strengthen and establish learning processes from the Schools of Poetry and Poetry Workshops.
  5. Organize poetry readings, talks, lectures, film series on the subject of poetry and social change, social and popular organizations in the city and country, highlighting the environmental, defense of cultural rights and the fight for peace and social transformation in our countries.
  6. Raise the aesthetic quality of the festivals that make up the World Poetry Movement.

11.2 Relationship and positioning strategies

  1. Relations with States: sustaining a direct communication, expand and identify contacts with people who run the political and social power, without compromising the independence of the organization.
  2. Maintain and strengthen communication and relationships with foreign embassies accredited in each country.
  3. Faced with international relations, conduct personal meetings with officials from aid agencies and governments involved in the development and integration of peoples across the cultural, language development, educational processes and alternative communication.
  4. Make contacts with poets of the world, identified with our proposal. They may have some influence in government, media and institutions of their countries.

11.3 Strategies for the financial sustainability

  1. The presentation of law projects to the Legislative Bodies of national, regional or local in the different countries where it operates the Network is vital for the financial protection of the Festivals that comprise it.
  2. Funding: Personal meetings with representatives of organizations, agencies and finance agencies in each country and abroad, with clearly defined and formulated projects.
  3. Invitation to international officials and representatives of agencies, to look and find the field, the importance and the social and cultural impact of World Poetry Movement.
  4. Making documentary films and publications on various festivals with a high aesthetic level, to be broadcast in the country and abroad, thus obtaining additional funds each Festival. It is possible to go to the sale of emission rights and reproduction of video documentaries on contemporary poetry, a Latin American cultural channels and national television.

12. Present-time strategic partners

  1. National governments that have specific interest in supporting the cultural and especially the International Poetry Festivals and the continental or global networks of poetic projects.
  2. International Poetry Meetings, Schools of Poetry and poetic publications, among other projects.
  3. Foreign Embassies in each country.
  4. Ministries of Culture and Foreign Affairs of the countries of the regional political and cultural organizations.
  5. International Cultural Agencies as the International Organization of the Francophonie, Instituto Cervantes, Goethe Institute, Alliance Françoise, Italian Cultural Institute.
  6. Poetic Publications and Projects that are part of WPM.
  7. Dutch Foundation for developing Countries HIVOS, Cordaid, Döen Foundation, Prince Claus Foundation, Caipirinha Foundation, Oxfam, the Spanish International Cooperation Agency.
  8. International Federation of Poetry Festivals, based in TroisRivières, Canada.
  9. Vienna School of Poetry

Possible strategic partners:

  1. Ministries of Education and Culture around the world
  2. European Union
  3. UNESCO, MERCOSUR, CELALC, UNASUR, OAU, CARICOM, ALBA, Organization of American States (OAE).
  4. Networks of international and national libraries
  5. International and National Cultural Channels TV and Radio
  6. National and Foreign Universities
  7. Houses of culture and international cultural organizations and national
  8. Other Poetry Festivals in the world that are not yet a part of WPM
  9. Association of Poets Against the War
  10. Publications printed and digital poetry and foreign
  11. The Poetry School Network World
  12. Amnesty International
  13. Greenpeace
  14. Agencies understand the scope and prospects of WPM.

13. Achievements of the World Poetry Movement

World Poetry Movement, founded in July 2011, in just five months of existence, earned the adhesion of 210 international poetic organizations, including 114 international poetry festivals, and the participation of nearly 1.178 poets from 131 countries.

The World Poetry Movement held its first major global action on 24th September in 87 countries making three hundred readings of poems (http://www.wpm2011.org/node/5) through vigorous action brilliant, recognized by hundreds of media in the world (http://www.wpm2011.org/es/node/12), which achieved great visibility.

The World Poetry Movement created a bilingual website (English and Spanish) in early September 2011, currently under development as a site of encounter between the festivals, poetry and poets’ projects that constitute the WPM. There it has included its calls, thoughts, materials and activities and proposals that gave rise to the movement. At the same time it has also a Facebook page for more temporary and timely communications.

Since October WPM’s Co-ordinating Committee has circulated a newsletter, among its members and strategic audience, with news and articles that reflect its current concerns and tasks.

Members of the Co-ordinating Committee and members of the World Poetry Movement met in the Unesco headquarters in Paris on October 25 with Alain Godonou, director of the Division for Thematic Diversity, Development and Dialogue. Mr. Godonou reported on the interest of Mrs. Irina Bokova, Director General of Unesco, in our project and recalled that Mrs. Bokova has said that poetry is the language of the future. She also stressed the need for the World Poetry Movement to become an NGO, with a central location to access the legal recognition and financial support of Unesco.

Mrs. Irina Bokova could eventually meet with the World Poetry Movement Co-ordinator on 21 March in Paris, on the occasion ofWorld Poetry Day, when we will hold a poetry reading at the headquarters of UNESCO. The presence of Mrs. Irina Bokova would be an invaluable support for the need for poetry in our world.

The World Poetry Movement has decided to become a global coverage NGOs and approved its head office will be located in Medellin, Colombia.

14. World Poetry Movement (WPM) Basic action plans for 2012

  1. Making new simultaneous poetic actions around the world in February 29 (A Leap Forward), March 21 (World Poetry Day), May22 (Word in the World) and October 12, 2012.
  2. Realization of an Assembly of Delegates and Directors Festivals members of World Poetry Movement, representing every continent, in July or August 2012.
  3. Meeting of the World Poetry Movement Coordinating Committee on 21 March in Paris.
  4. Meeting of the World Poetry Movement Coordinating Committee with the General Director of UNESCO, Mrs. Irina Bokova, on March 23, 2012.
  5. Meetings of the Co-ordinating Committee of World Poetry Movement with the Commissions for Culture of the European Union and European Parliament on 24th March in Brussels.
  6. Meeting of the Co-ordinating Committee of WPM with the poet and president of Ireland, Mr. Michael Higgins, in Brussels March 24, 2012.
  7. Presentation of the World Poetry Movement with poetry readings in Paris (March 21st, World Poetry Day, UNESCO headquarters) and in Brussels, March 24 —Passaporta—, by a delegation of WPM.
  8. Creation and presentation of World Poetry School (WPS) in Vienna in June 2012.

For all these massive poetic actions there will be convened, in each of the 114 poetry festivals around the world, 96 projects of poetry and 1178 poets from 131 nations from all continents to prepare four simultaneous poetry readings in as many cities and countries as possible.

On May 22 there’ll be, accompanied by poetry workshops, roundtables, panels and conferences, to include large-scale educational elements in the world, in co-ordination with UNESCO, actions that reach out to as many children and young people, seeking the highest magnification possible in the media of this area of the world. Poems will be printed on flyers, posters and banners.