Makati Celebrates World Poetry Day

Ayala Triangle Garden

Makati City---World Poetry Day was commemorated with a night of poetry reading by students and professionals with special song numbers at the AyalaTriangle last March 21, 2012. The event entitled A Walk Through Words at the Gardens highlights the  mystical beauty of Philippine poetry by bringing together some of the country’s leading writers and literary personalities who are firm believers on the power of words.  The activity was spearheaded by Ayala Foundation through the Filipinas Heritage Library and the group of writers involved in the Metro Serye literary magazine,

Krip Yuson

Guests who shared their poems with the crowd were magazine editor and the 30^th National Book Awards Leisure Category finalist RJ Ledesma, Palanca awardees Ricci Guevarra and Vim Nadera. Literature personalities- essayist, novelist, and poet Krip Yuson; poet and literary critics Jimmy Abad, Anina Abola, Eliza Victoria, and Carlomar. Music, also a form of poetry, was performed by Arya Herrera and Reb Atadero from Blue Rep, and rapper Gloc9. The other poetry readers included students from the Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University.

RJ Ledesma

“Appreciation of poetry is universal. It begins almost when we are toddlers.,” says Filipinas Heritage Library (FHL) director Maritoni Ortigas. “Today, we are celebrating the World Poetry Day in recognition of poetry’s distinct influence to expand people’s views, understanding, and appreciation of humanity and its experience. Everything in life—what is seen, felt, and imagined—belong to poetry. Our imaginations are stirred and our minds are enriched by the magic of words, captured thought, image or metaphor. We hope this celebration manifests this.”

Arya Herrera and Rebs Atadero

This unique event  showcased contemporary Filipino poetry punctuated by musical landscape in an informal urban setting, so the ideal venue would be at the heart of the Makati Central Business District— which is at the Ayala Triangle Gardens. “The event aims to encourage Makati denizens and Filipinos in general to continue their passion for poetic excellence while also preserving and enriching our heritage,” shares Mel Ignacio, Assistant Vice President of Ayala Land.

  

Makati City’s meteoric rise as the country’s center for business, culture, lifestyle, and entertainment can be described as poetry in motion. “The development of the city did not happen overnight,” notes Mel Ignacio. “What played a key role in this regard was the seamless integration of ideas and strategic partnership among the primary stakeholders of the city—the local government unit,, the Makati Commercial Estate Association, Inc. (MACEA) and Ayala Land, Inc. (ALI).” This is the reason why Makati City continues to grow and become relevant in the modern sphere of things.

In line with this cultural thrust, the recently launched campaign, “Make It Happen, Make It Makati,” also enforces Makati’s position not just as the country’s preferred business and lifestyle destination but also as a home for poetic and artistic minds.

 Poetry enthusiast Tessa Sweezy Webb first initiated the celebration of the World Poetry Day in 1936 in Ohio, U.S.A. to honor poets. In 1999, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) officially declared March 21 as the World Poetry Day as a tribute to poets and other literary artists in recognition of their valuable contributions to society.