March 21 is World Poetry Day - National Council of Teachers of English
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March 21 is World Poetry Day

World Poetry Day is recognized every year on March 21. This is the day on which UNESCO recognizes the moving spirit of poetry and its transformative effect on culture.

A decision to proclaim March 21 as World Poetry Day was adopted during UNESCO’s 30th session held in Paris in 1999. In celebrating World Poetry Day, UNESCO recognizes the unique ability of poetry to capture the creative spirit of the human mind.

To honor World Poetry Day, take some time to read and explore writers from around the globe and bring their works into the classroom. Looking for ideas to celebrate World Poetry Day? Check out this blog post full of resources!

Ask students to think about a favorite poem and imagine the perfect way to read it. Where would they be when they read it? Would they read it fast or slow? Out loud or to themselves? Have them compose their own poem about reading poetry. Students can use tools provided by ReadWriteThink to create and publish their poems.