The 3rd Poetry Day, which will be celebrated in Prague and in a number of other locations in the Czech Republic (Plzen, Brno, Broumov, Podebrady, Desna) will this year feature a number of events in English. The Poetry Day is coordinated by the Literary and Cultural Klub 8 who also organise the Poetry for Travellers (Poezie pro cestujici) project which has displayed poetry on the Prague metro wagons for the past two years.

The aim of the Poetry Day is to celebrate poetry in all its forms and varieties and to widen the public audience for poetry. Events range from traditional poetry readings, poetry and theatre workshops for young people, poetry expressed through music and the visual arts, (including graffiti), poetry on Radio I, floating poetry on the Vltava and an open poetry space for the general public to read their poetry in Namesti republiky metro station.

Poetry Days are celebrated on various dates in a number of countries throughout the world and have proved popular in liberating poetry from its traditional haunts and encouraging celebrations in schools, libraries, workplaces, public spaces, as well as the more conventional clubs and pubs - in fact anywhere people might gather to enjoy the language and energy of poetry.

The events are predominantly in Czech - the poetry day itself - 16.11.2001 - is held on the anniversary of the birth of the great romantic poet K.H.Mácha - but there are a number of events of interest to English speakers. Because there are so many events this year some are scheduled for its eve on 15.11.

Poetry Day activities this year have been supported by the Czech Ministry of Culture, Prague’s Public Transport Authority, The British Council, The Multicultural Centre, The Polish Institute and a number of other organisations and invididuals.