World Poetry Gala Was a Great Success!
By worldpoetry on February 13, 2005 - 11:03pm
World Poetry Gala 2005 was a Great Success!
On February 11, The World Poetry Reading Series celebrated four years at the Vancouver Public Library, their generous hosts and venue sponsors.
The Evening began with the beautiful and haunting Peruvian music played by Musical folklorist and master teacher Rene Hugo Sanchez who plays over 50 instruments.
While participants and presenters waited outside, the hosts of the popular radio segment Between the Lines; Lubica Parilakova and Luis Gutierrez from The World Poetry Café Radio Show on CFRO 102.7 FM welcomed the audience.
Johnny Frum (Bolts of Fiction) played the trumpet while the hosts, participants and presenters made a grand entrance.
The evening officially opened with the welcome by Ariadne Sawyer and Alejandro Mujica-Olea with a short history of The World Poetry Movement and Sentiments from the Poet Mujica.
A special welcome song was sung by traditional Tibetan Singer Tamdin Tseten, one of three Tibetan singers in British Columbia.
The blessings for the evening were presented by:
The Reverend Christine Rowe from St. Thomas Anglican Church in Vancouver read a prayer in English.
Shamas Umedaly in Arabic, reading from the Holy Koran.
Rene Hugo Sanchez with a prayer in Quechwa
Ashok Bhargava presented a prayer in Hindi.
The first speaker of the evening was Janice Douglas, Program Director of the Vancouver Public Library. She received a beautiful poem written by Alejandro Mujica-Olea and inscribed on parchment by the artist Mayo Landicho. Ms. Douglas highlighted her speech with a lovely poem of her own.
The second speaker was Naeem Nick Noorani, publisher of The Canadian Immigrant Magazine who wrote a powerful and moving poem called the Immigrant.
The welcome song for all the award winners of 2005 was sung by David Campbell, World Poetry Lifetime Award Winner for 2004.
A verbal welcome to the award winners was presented by Anita Aguirre- Nieveras, World Poetry Lifetime Award Winner for 2004. Ms. Nieveras spoke about her experiences as the award winner of 2004 and mentioned that this award can open many doors.
The Welcoming song for the first World Poetry Lifetime Award Winner Addena Sumter-Freitag was movingly played by Dr. Osahon Chris Eigbike, an employment counsellor in Vancouver. Mr Eigbike is originally from Nigeria and had been taught African drumming by his father.
Presenting the award plaque was Michelle Lee Williams, Editor of the Afro News. Addena, an Actress, Poet and Community Worker, performed poems reflecting Black History Month which were very dramatic and moving.
She also remembered her family members who had passed on and said that she felt that they were with her. Her poems were accompanied by the professional drumming of Dr. Eigbike.
The famous Scottish harpist, Seamus Gagné from Seattle, considered to be one of the top ten Scottish Harpists in North America played the welcoming song for the second World Poetry Lifetime Award winning recipient Dugald Christie, Crusader for Justice, lawyer and Poet.
Alejandro Mujica-Olea gave an interesting introduction the presenter of Mr. Christie: The Honourable BC Supreme Court Justice Mr. Justice Duncan Shaw.
He reminded the audience to be alert about the changing laws in Canada. Justice Shaw presented important background information on the work of Dugald Christie, the creator of over 60 Pro Bono Clinics with 450 lawyers donating time each month to help people who cannot afford lawyers. He spoke of Mr. Christie’s great commitment to justice for all people.
Mayo Landicho, a talented musician originally from the Philippines sang a sparkling song in Tagalog as the welcoming song for the new World Poetry Ambassador Anita Aguirre-Nieveras. Welcoming Anita were The World Poetry Ambassadors: Victoria Pascha, Ambassador to the Olympic Games and Greece. Ashok Bhargava, Ambassador to Japan, Nepal and India.
Mike Peacock from the Band Melic Thrum played a lovely original composition as a welcome song for The World Poetry Special Award Winner Pandora’s Collective with executives Bonnie Nish and Sita Carboni. Pandora’s Collective www.pandorascollective.com is an outreach society that promotes creativity and literacy in the community of Vancouver.
Pandora’s Collective has promoted many events.
Certificates of appreciation were given to the World Poetry Sponsors:
The Vancouver Public Library,
The Canadian Immigrant Magazine: www.thecanadianimmigrantmagazine.com
La Prensa Newspaper with publishers Andres Ramirez and Jeannette Gonzales:
www.laprensahispanoamericana.com
The Afro News: www.theafronews.com
Annie Pang from Victoria, BC.
Ah Bong JA from Vancouver, BC.
African Vibes, 91.6 FM:www.africanvibesfm.com
The final event of the evening was the World Poetry Signature Poem “Oh, Canada
