The Kistrech International Poetry Festival 2023 runs in venues around Kenya from October 7 – 12, 2023. The festival theme is “freedom.”
The Kistrech International Poetry Festival was founded to promote poetry and cultural exchange between local and foreign artists by Dr Christopher Okemwa in 2013. The annual festival features spoken-word, rap, song, poetry reading, oral poetry, music instrument-playing, and other performances.
2023 is the tenth year the festival runs and this is a special one that organisers have prepared for those who attend. Festival founder Christopher Okemwa said, “We are proud as a festival to have managed to come all the way to the 10th anniversary, without funds and proper support. We are celebrating ten solid years of poetic and artistic experience. The ten years have seen healthy interaction, and learning taking place between local and international poets. The years have seen many student-poets at Kenyan Universities and upcoming poets in Africa, publish their poetry collections and others travelling abroad to attend International Poetry Festivals. A lot has happened in terms of cultural exchange between countries and regions. We say thanks to all those who, in the last ten years, developed an interest in our festival and created time to participate in its activities. Gratitude also goes to those who have given us both financial and in-kind support.”
Some of the featured guests are Sitawa Namwalie (Kenya), Dr Andrea Grieder (Switzerland), Christos Koukis (Greece), Lucila Trapazzo (Switzerland), Joseph Muleka (Kenya), Karla Brundage (USA), Manfred Chobot (Austria), Nora Atalia (Canada), Mattia Scarpulla (Canada), Bengt O Björklund (Sweden), Christopher Okemwa (Kenya), Evans Gesura (Kenya), Beatrice Jane Ekesa (Kenya), Hassanal Abdullah (USA), Eriend Wichne (Norway), Kevin Dublin (USA), and Fatemeh Ekhtesari (Norway).
These poets will feature at the following scheduled events;
Saturday, October 7,
Goethe-Institut Nairobi
- 10:00am – 11:00am: Welcoming Speeches
- 11:00am – 12:30pm: Norwegian Poetry: Fatemeh Ekhtesari & Erlend Wichne.
- 12:30pm – 1:30pm: Kenyan Poetry: Dr. Joseph Muleka, Beatrice Jane Ekesa
- 3:00pm – 5:00pm: An Evening of Swiss Poetry: Lucilla Trapazzo & Dr. Andrea Grieder
Monday, October 9: Dallas Premier Hotel, Kisii
- 10:20am – 11:20am: Kenyan Poetry: Sitawa Namwalie, Wanjira Muthoni, Antony Wesonga Oduori
- 11:20p to 12:20am: Greek Poetry: Dimitris Stamiris & Christos Koukis
- 2:00pm to 3.00pm: Canadian Poetry: Nora Atalla & Mattia Scarpulla
- 3:00pm to 4:00pm: Austrian Poetry: Manfred Chobot;
- 3:00pm to 4:00pm: Swedish Poetry: Bengt O Björklund
Tuesday, October 10: Kisii Village
Poetry Readings and performances: Hassanal Abdullah, Christos Koukis, Erlend Wichne, Dr. Andrea Grieder & Karla Brundage (USA), African Oral poetry Mashairi (Swahili Poetry), Zamaleo Story-Tellers, Gusii Cultural dancers, Ramogi Dancers.
Wednesday, October 11
Mosando Secondary and Primary Schools: 9:00am to 11:00am
Poetry Reading by guest-poets: Bengt O Björklund, Manfred Chobot, Dimitris Stamiris, Nora Atalla, Mattia Scarpulla, Lucilla Trapazzo & Fatemeh Ekhtesari, Kevin Dublin (USA), and Peggy Morrison (USA).
Kisii University: 2:00pm – 4:00pm
Black Rootedness: Group discussion involving students:
- Group 1: Sitawa Namwalie & Scholastica Moraa
- Group 2: Karla Brundage (USA) & Ruth Koech (Kenya)
- Group 3: Kevin Dublin (USA) & Bonface Nyamweya (Kenya)
- Group 4: Hassanal Abdullah (USA) & Alfred Nyamwange
- Group 5: Peggy Morrison (USA) & Joseph Muleka
Kisii University: 4:00 pm – 6:00pm
Black-Rootedness
- Karla Brundage (USA)
- University Choir
- Salsa dancers
Thursday, October 12
Trip to Maasai Mara
Sponsors of the events around the country are Kisii University, Pro Helvetia, the Goethe-Institut, Canada Council for the Arts, Norwegian Literature Abroad, and Conseil Des Arts et Des Lettres du Quebec. For more information on the festival please visit the official website by clicking here.
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