Festival Program

Saturday, May 14th.

Hosts: Alejandro Mujica-Olea & Ariadne Sawyer

10 am -11 am Grand Opening.

• First Nations Welcome by Roberta Price
• Welcome by World Poetry founders Alejandro Mujica-Olea and Ariadne Sawyer.
• Welcome by City of Richmond and thanks to partners, consulates.
• Poem by Danielle Jones.
• Presentation of International Peace Award to Ariadne Sawyer by Dr. Rita Malhotra.
• Dance by Jasmine’s Dancing Group.

11:00 am. Bernice Lever, History of Canadian Poetry.
11:20 am Aboriginal Writer Collective West Coast.
11:40 pm Daf Music by the Kokehi Family.

12 pm Lunch

1:00 pm Jasmine Dancing Club.
1:10 pm Rita Malhotra (India) History of Indian English Poetry with a Focus on Women.
1:20 pm Youth Panel: Yoshifumi Sakura, Theo Campbell, Danielle Jones
1:40-Jasmine Dancing Club
1:45 pm Jacqueline Maire, World Poetry Ambassador to France presentation.
2:00 pm Ahn Bong Ja presents.
2:20 pm. Ashok Bhargava presents.
2:40 pm Jasmine Dancing Club
2:45 pm World Poetry Presents. Visa pending. Alaha Ahrar, poet from Afghanistan and USA.
3:05 pm Yoshifumi Sakura (Japan) presents.
3:25 Theo Campbell Presents.
3:35 pm World Poetry New Westminster Presents: Hosts Ariadne Sawyer and Heidi Mueller.

4:00pm Meet and Greet.
Light refreshments, courtesy of the City of Richmond.

—————————————————————————May 15, Sunday.

10 am Daf Music by the Kokehi Family
10:20 Presentation of 2-3 youth awards. Presentation to World Poetry Special Volunteers.
10:40 am: Alejandro Mujica-Olea.
10:50 Dr. Warren Stevenson presents.
11:00 am Dr. Rita Malhotra presents.
11:10 am Alan Hill
11:20 am. Peter Lojewski presents.
11:40 am Canadian Authors Association.

12-1:00 pm. Lunch.

1:00 pm. World Poetry Presents. Visa pending. Husna Sidiqi
1:20-pm Richmond Writers Group.
1:40 pm Jasmine’s Dancing Club
1:45 pm Anita Aguirre Nieveras presents.
1:55 pm. Jasmine’s Dancing Club
2:00 pm World Poetry Presents: Open mike.
2:20 pm- Betty Scott from Bellingham, Washington, US.
2:40pm Juliane Bitek
2:50 pm Project Cultural South
3:00 pm Dr. Ray Hsu presents.
3:20 pm Pancho and Sal. New CD Launch!
3:50 pm. Closing festival, certificates to volunteers, thanks to partners.

4:00 pm Meet and Greet.
Light refreshments, courtesy of Richmond.
5pm end

6:30 pm Gala Dinner at the Mad Greek Restaurant

Please note, the program is subject to change!