Inspired by the symbolic value of the Red Carnation in the April Revolution of 1974 that overthrew fascism and restored freedom to the Portuguese people, the World Poetry Movement adopts this simple flower to pass on the message of the importance of the struggle for Creative Freedom for Poets in all countries of the world.

In a historical moment, in which all of us are prevented from having access to fundamental liberties because of the terrible pandemic of Covid-19, we cannot allow the powers manipulated by the great world financial giants to want to eternalize this state of confinement and impose the artistic silencing of poets in all the countries of the world.

We have been witnessing on all continents the upsurge of anti-democratic, protofascist, neo-nazi, racist, xenophobic, homophobic and misogynist political movements through terrorist actions that want to reverse the engine of history and implement new formats of slavery, fomenting misery, inequality and ignorance among peoples.

Next April, the peoples of the world, and in particular the Russian people, will celebrate the anniversary of the start of the space race, a happy milestone of this poetic dream of mankind was the first flight into the cosmos piloted by Yuri Gagarin. The dream of humanity is the dream of the stars, of inhabiting the deep skies beyond our planet. The World Poetry Movement joins this commemoration.

In this difficult context, the WPM appeals to all the writers of the world that in the name of the Red Carnations of Freedom they continue to fight for the highest values of solidarity and fraternity between peoples through their artistic messages inscribed in the literary work they produce in every corner of the world. Against the silence of imposture, we shall fight my brothers. Against the martyrdom of the peoples, we will fight my brothers. For the universal right to all cultural goods, we will fight, brothers and sisters. For the differences that unite us we will spread Red Carnations to all the Countries of the World in the name of freedom and against all types of fascism.

World Poetry Movement Coordinating Commitee:

Jack Hirschman: poet and General Coordinator of WPM (United States).
Rati Saxena: poet and director Krytia International Poetry Festival (India).
Ataol Behramoglu: poet, organizer and counselor of Smyrna Poetry Festival (Turkey).
Alex Pausides: poet and director of the International Poetry Festival of La Havana (Cuba).
Ayo Ayoola-Amale, poet and director, Splendors of Dawn Poetry Foundation (Ghana).
Francis Combes: poet and director of Festival International des Poètes en Val-de-Marne (France).
Zolani Mkiva, poet and director of His Royal Heritage International Poetry Festival (South Africa).
Agneta Falk: Poet and artist (Sweden).
Vadim Terekhin: Poet and co-president of Writers’ Union of Russia (Russia).
Khalid Raissouni: poet and member of the Writer Union of Morocco (Morocco).
Christopher Okemwa: poet and director, Kistrech Poetry Festival of Kenya.
Keshab Sigdel: poet and member of Society of Nepali Writers in English (Nepal).
Oscar Saavedra: poet and coordinator of the Latin American poetry meeting Descentralización Poética (Chile).
Luis Filipe Sarmento, poet, editor and TV producer (Portugal).
Fernando Rendón: poet and director Festival Internacional de Poesía de Medellín (Colombia).