We, the poets of Asia, gathered at the Virtual Congress on February 25-26, 2023, under the aegis of the World Poetry Movement (WPM). The Congress was participated by 42 delegates from the Asian countries/territories, including Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Cyprus, Hazaristan, India, Iran, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam, along with the coordinators from Africa, Europe, America, and the General Coordinator of International Coordinating Committee.

We also would like to thank the Preparatory Committee of the WPM World Congress in Medellin for their secretarial support and the government of the Republic of Venezuela for providing a virtual platform and interpreters to hold this Congress successfully.

Realizing the need to promote the art of poetry, foster creative expression, and strengthen cultural bonds within and beyond Asia as a means of cultural enrichment, social engagement, and personal growth,
Understanding the necessity to come together and share our works, ideas, and experiences to encourage collaboration, exchange, and dialogue among poets, artists, scholars, and activists from different parts of Asia and the world,
Recognizing the urgency of the environmental challenges facing our planet and the role that poetry can play in raising awareness and promoting action,
Pledging to uphold the principles of artistic integrity, freedom of expression, and mutual respect by defending justice, peace, and equity, and recognizing the power of poetry to transcend borders, bridge differences, and inspire positive change,

We are committed to:

1. Promoting poetry through activities like poetry readings, workshops, conferences, poetry festivals, publications of poetry anthologies, translation projects, outreach programs for youths in schools and colleges, poetry competitions, mentorship programs, and literary awards;
2. Making the World Poetry Movement a vibrant and inclusive community of poetic voices in each Asian country by expanding the organizational presence in all Asian countries and creating networking opportunities by engaging with poets, poetry organizations, festivals and publishing houses, and universities in the continent;
3. Using poetry to engage with environmental issues and inspiring a sense of stewardship and care for the natural world, and advocating for sustainable living;
4. Utilizing poetry to defend freedom of speech, human rights, and rights of native peoples and stateless nations; promoting inclusion through poetry; solidarity with social, economic, and political victims, including asylum seekers, refugees, and displaced people; standing firm against all forms of oppressions;

Action Plan

a. Hold WPM Asia Congress annually for greater accountability; develop a continental charter to guide the movement in Asia, and elect WPM Asia Coordination every two years;
b. Develop a plan of action and implement WPM activities. Expand WPM chapters in all Asian countries;
c. Create webpages, social sites, or other media channels for greater visibility and communication;
d. Publish (digital and/or print) a poetry anthology/magazine annually and works translations reflecting the diversity of languages, cultures, and literary traditions, including the oral traditions;
e. Promote cross-cultural translation projects in collaboration with publishing houses.
f. Conduct poetry actions to address pertinent issues related to human dignity, freedom of expression, minority communities, and people in crises.
g. Through poetic actions, express solidarity with the people of Palestine and other conflict-affected countries in their quest for comprehensive peace and justice.
h. Recognize the voices of Hazara of Hazaristan, Kurd of Kurdistan, and other stateless nations through poetic actions.
i. Promoting poetry in education by lobbying for teaching and learning of poetry in schools and universities, and supporting efforts to develop poetry curricula, train teachers in poetry pedagogy, and create opportunities for students to engage with poetry;
j. Participate in poetry actions generated by WPM International coordinating committee and other continental chapters; Build a network of poets, poetry organizations, literary festivals; and collaborate with publishing houses, and schools, and universities, and media.

Resolutions

i. We urge all the poets, translators, editors, and publishers associated with the writers’ fraternity in Asia and beyond to make poetry a bridge between Asian and other world languages through translation and publications.
ii. We urge creative writers, artists, scholars, activists, and the press to support the dignity and peace movements in the continent to promote the cause of peace and justice.
iii. We urge the governments to respect and uphold the dignity and human rights of people; protect artistic freedom and freedom of expression of all people; and act urgently to end all forms of discrimination against linguistic, cultural, and sexual minorities, Dalits, and all other oppressed communities in the continent.
iv. We urge the United Nations and all other intergovernmental agencies to recognize the dignity movements of the people in the continent and act with greater preparedness to deal with the environmental crises affecting people’s lives.

The delegates of the first WPM Asia Congress, 25-26 February 2023, adopted this Declaration.