International Poetry Festival of Biobío

Organised by the Centre for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS)

Join us for a transformative event as the International Poetry Festival of Biobío makes its way to London! This unique festival offers an educational experience that will reshape the role of poets on a global scale. Through captivating lectures and powerful poetry reading sessions featuring participants from across Latin America and the UK, the festival aims to challenge those who have diminished the value of poetry. Now in its 6th year, the festival is sparking a movement to help society recognise the immense potential poetry holds for our youth and the future of our planet. We cordially invite you to witness the evolution of a Poetry Festival that advocates significant changes for the betterment of humanity.

Monday 9th – 6.00pm 
Welcoming remarks – Embassy of Chile 

Opening talk: “Gabriela Mistral, precursora de la Educación Poética” (Gabriela Mistral, forerunner on Poetic Education), by Agustín Benelli, poet, teacher and founder of the International Poetry Festival of Biobío. With a Homage to Prof. Marie-Lise Gazarian-Gautier (1933 – 2023). 
Dr. Marie-Lise Gazarian was a highly accomplished academic and literary figure, and a renowned scholar on Gabriela Mistral. She is a graduate of Columbia University and was a Professor of Spanish and the Director of the Graduate Program in Spanish at St. John's University since 2008.  

Poetry Reading by guest poets: Reading of the Manifesto of the new poet  
Isabel del Río (Inglaterra-España) 
Enrique Zattara (Argentina) 
Juana M. Ramos (El Salvador) 

Poetry Reading by guest poets:  
Rocío Uchofen (Perú) 
Margarita Drago (Argentina) 
Linda Morales Caballero (Perú) 

Tuesday 10th – 6.00pm 
Welcoming remarks by Agustín Benelli 

Lecture: “El Nuevo poeta y la experiencia de la educaciónpoética en Chile” (The new poet and the experience of poetic education in Chile”, by Agustín Benelli (20-25 minutes)

Poetry Reading by guest poets:
Xaviera Ringeling (Chile) 
Jorge Chartier Navarrete (Chile) 
América Merino (Chile) 

To close the day a special presentation of Poetry Reading and discussion by guest poets of La Ninfa Eco Young Writers group with the poet Gaby Sambuccetti (60 minutes)

Wednesday 11th – 6.00pm 
Welcoming remarks by Agustín Benelli 

Lecture: Why create a Movement around Poetic Education and the new poet (Maureen Altman) 

Poetry Reading by guest poets: 
Las Juanas Collective: Denisse Vargas-Bolaños (Bolivia), Isabel Ros-López (Spain), Mabel Encinas-Sánchez (Mexico), Marijo Alba-Sánchez (Spain)
Tomás Modesto Galán (Dominican Republic) 
Gaby Sambuccetti  (Argentina) 

Panel discussion “Los poetas de la mesa Redonda”. 
Moderated by Maureen Altman and Agustín Benelli 
Juana M, Ramos (El Salvador)  
Tomás Modesto Galán (Dominican Republic)  
Enrique Zattara (Argentina)  
Linda Morales Caballeros (Perú)  
Xaviera Ringeling (Chile)  
Gaby Sambuccetti (Argentina) 

*The programme will be adapted so that it can be enjoyed by both Spanish and English speaking audiences. The lectures by Agustín Benelli will be in Spanish, with printed texts / projections of a translation, and the poetry reading will be bilingual.

Download the programme (pdf)

All are welcome to attend this free event. Click the book now button at the top of the page to register.

Download flyer (pdf)